In November of 2011, during my eighth grade year of middle school, I acquired appendicitis. After days of endless pain and agony, I went to the emergency room only to be told to seek surgical attention. While I was being prepped for surgery, I received an IV from a young surgical intern who poked a sharp and shiny needle into my arm quickly noticing he hit my brachial artery instead. This simple mistake caused a horrifying event, as it appeared I was a victim in a gory crime scene and leading to my heightened fear of needles. A couple of weeks later, my family and I received a hefty hospital bill of $22,000. Overlooking each contributing factor towards the grand total, I realized the unbelievable amount listed just for blood. It was then apparent to me the high demand for blood and need of consistent donors. I brainstormed ways to assist those in need and unable to afford the cost, but I was stumped being unable to donate at the age of thirteen.
A few years pass to my sophomore year of high school. Harding Fine Arts Academy announced they would be hosting a school-wide blood drive, along with an informational assembly beforehand. As students settled down and the assembly began, a school administrator, Ms. Watson approached the podium looking personally unsettled. She informed us the requirements of donating and how our impact could be placed on lives, most importantly her grandson, Bennett. During Bennett’s infancy, his family learned he was diagnosed with “Pearson’s Syndrome”. A mitochondrial disease manifested in him and causing complete bone marrow failure, beginning at the age of five months. For the majority of his remaining life, almost 3 years, he was entirely dependent on blood transfusions (on average every two weeks) to stay alive. Bennett’s struggle touched me as a past patient understanding his constant need for blood and the financial stress included with it. This intimate information urged me to provide any relief their family needed in this situation, therefore, I decided to face my fear and participate.
On November 7, 2013, it felt like any other school day would to everyone else other than myself. This day marks the day I will be pricked with a metal object into my skin once again. Anxiety accumulated throughout the day as I awaited my designated donation time. While walking into the gymnasium, I witnessed all my fellow classmates donating masses of blood and how they all seemed exhausted as if they were walking zombies. Sitting through the registration process, the thought of backing out rushed through my mind until instructed to sit on an open bed to be prepped for my donation. I sat there tensely worried knowing the nurse is not aware of my past experience, and what might occur next. With my favorite band blaring through my headphones and eyes clenched shut helping distract everything happening, I realized this fear is all in my head.
Once I finished donating, I noticed an unusual feeling while eating peanut butter cookies and sipping from a cold can of Gatorade. Ms. Watson then entered the gymnasium along with a special being wrapped in her arms, Bennett. His presence sparked a sensation within me confirming my recent action was an accomplishment and how I was able to affect him directly with a “credit to patient” request form. This rush of joy reassured that this unsettling sense I was previously feeling was instantly eliminated.
Following my first donation and receiving my polished blue donor card with “Blood Type O” smacked across the front, I became more motivated to share my universal blood, as I can help anyone in need of it. Since then I have donated a total of five different occasions, four being whole blood unit and the last being my first double red donation. By the time of my high school graduation in May, I will have donated once more, as I am currently ineligible due to 112 day grace period from the previous donation.
I am projected to be the only senior of my class eligible for the Blood Institute’s Honor Cord high school program. While I walk across the stage during graduation, standing out of the crowd, being the only graduate wearing a recognizable cord around my neck it will serve as a reminder of those lives I have priorly treated. I plan to continue donations next year in Chicago, Illinois while I attend DePaul University, for the loving memory of Bennett H. I wish to impact lives through donations the same way Ms. Watson, Bennett, and the provoking hospital intern impacted me as a donor.
Bennett’s competition between rivalry schools
Bennett’s impact on the Harding Fine Arts community
Loving memory of Bennett Hanneman from us of Harding
