By Mary Williams, Special Events and Marketing, American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio
AKRON, January 23, 2019 – I went through a phase, not so long ago – in the early 2000s, when I listened to the Greatest Hits of Dan Fogelberg incessantly.
(I promise that this is going somewhere Red Cross related, folks!)
I lived with my parents at the time and would listen to the music, primarily, while doing my homework at the dining room table. The perfect place for everyone in the household to hear my obsessive 70s lite rock journey.
My father stopped on his way to the kitchen during the song Longer one day. With tears in his eyes, he confided that the song reminded him of my sister and the time when she was very sick (which would have been sometime around when the song originally came out.) With lyrics such as “longer than there’s been stars up in the heavens, I’ve been in love with you,” the song perfectly verbalized the love of a father for his daughter.
She had been diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura, and while doing wonderfully now – nearly forty years later, the ensuing procedures and doctor visits were frightening for my father.
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura, as defined on the Mayo Clinic website, is a blood disorder that can lead to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding. The bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets – the cells that help clot blood. Early symptoms mirror those of leukemia and other scary sounding blood related disorders.
“Though the binding cracks, and the pages start to yellow…”
Today is the sixth anniversary of my father’s passing, and so, in honor of him (and my sister) this afternoon I walked down to the Summit Blood Donation Center to donate.
Mary Williams
The need for blood is constant.
The Red Cross currently has an emergency need for blood and platelet donors to give now to help ensure lifesaving medical treatments and emergency care are not delayed or canceled this winter. The Red Cross collected more than 27,000 fewer blood and platelet donations the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s than needed to sustain a sufficient blood supply, as busy holiday schedules kept donors away. Blood and platelet donations are needed in the coming days so that lifesaving blood products are available for patients who depend on transfusions for everyday survival.
You can help by donating (or if you can’t donate, finding a friend who can donate in your place) today by simply visiting www.redcrossblood.org and entering your zip code to find a blood drive near you.
If you, like me, are in Summit County, stop by our fixed site at the Akron Office (501 W. Market St., across from The Tangier) during these times:
Mondays; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesdays; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesdays; 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursdays; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fridays; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturdays; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sundays; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
to prevent a blood shortage from continuing throughout winter and affecting patient care. The Red Cross collected more than 27,000 fewer blood and platelet donations the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s than needed to sustain a sufficient blood supply, as busy holiday schedules kept many donors away.
Why Is This Position So Important?
January is National Blood Donor Month. If you have never given blood before or it has been a while, it is the perfect time to become a blood donor.
It’s a new year, filled with new ambitions and goals to accomplish in 2019. In addition to the traditional resolutions of eating healthier, working to get that promotion or learning a new skill, consider adding a few of these resolutions to your list:
Cross Store.
your mind, please consider volunteering with the American Red Cross. Even if you can only commit to a few hours a week or a month, there’s a way for you to make a difference. Visit 
reading this, chances are you are already well aware that the American Red Cross is the preeminent organization for helping to prevent and alleviate human suffering in this country.
One of those missions is providing the nation a safe and secure blood supply. It’s regrettable that less than 40% of our nation’s population CAN give blood (for a variety of reasons). What’s far more regrettable is that less than 10% of that population CHOOSES to give blood. My challenge to all of us is to not be part of that 90% of the population that can give but chooses not to donate this life saving product. Please find time over the next five weeks to donate blood to the American Red Cross. If you can’t donate, then please encourage a family member, colleague, and/or friend to give. Every donation counts!! Thank you in advance for making a difference and helping save lives!
A 77-year-old American Red Cross volunteer from Ashtabula, Ohio, Mariann Pete likes to help people and be there for them during their emergencies. Marianne started volunteering seven years ago with her primary duties focused on managing blood donors at Ashtabula County Medical Center (ACMC) in Ashtabula County. An inspiration for people of all ages who consider volunteering part-time, Mariann has volunteered since 2002 two to three times every month with her weekly hours ranging between four to five.
For those in the Greater Cleveland Area interested in giving blood and donating platelets, the Red Cross has blood donation centers in Cleveland and Parma. The 
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