Give blood, give hope

This is my plug for the American Red Cross. 

Tomorrow, my husband and I will be sponsoring a blood drive in Catelyn's name.  We have a list of over 30 people who are giving blood at places other than our drive, and we know that at least 50 are already signed up to donate at our drive, and we have over 30 people signed up to help us run the drive.

It's overwhelming.

Simply put, we cannot begin to fathom the response we've seen from friends, family, and even strangers, who want to save lives in Catelyn's name.  We have received all kinds of food and juice donations, we have friends and family traveling from other states, and it seems like every time we turn around another person is getting involved in some way. 

It's amazing.

Catelyn received two blood transfusions last fall.  She would have been a candidate to receive more, but her disease entered her bloodstream and took her life.  I have a friend who just endured five transfusions, and I am happy to report she is finally back home after a grueling stay in the hospital.  We cannot predict the future to know if we will ever need a transfusion, but what we do know is that blood transfusions give hope, no matter what the outcome is. 

So, the next time you find yourself with an hour to spare, please consider donating blood.  If you cannot donate yourself, please consider spreading the word.