I recently came across the Instagram account of a woman by the name of Veronica. She and her husband recently just found out that their beautiful daughter, Hazel, was diagnosed with Leukemia. On Veronica’s Instagram, she mentions how much of a nightmare it will eventually be to tell her 4-year-old daughter that she has cancer, that her hair will fall out, that she won’t be going to school. Things that no one, especially a 4-year-old, should have to go through.

Veronica’s Instagram posts are raw and they depict the true burden cancer has on not only the patient’s life, but the family as well. This family has expressed positivity even in the toughest of days. Their strength and Hazel’s strength are inspiring. Hazel’s story stood out to me because she is not only fighting Leukemia, but she has experienced a variety of complications that other kids do not normally face during induction.

Veronica said that “most kids experience one or two of the side effects, but Hazel was the exception, and not in a good way.” She has experienced all of the side effects and then some. This little girl is a warrior and without blood transfusions she would not be where she is in her journey to recovery today. Veronica has advocated a great deal for blood donation on her Instagram, and I am here to tell you this:

According to the American Red Cross:

• Every two seconds someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion.
• Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the United States.
• Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily in the United States.
• Nearly 21 million blood components are transfused each year in the United States.

Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. The abnormal white blood cells that form in the bone marrow and travel throughout the bloodstream eventually kill healthy cells. So patients, like Hazel, suffering from Leukemia, need an abundant amount of transfusions.

• The disease itself can interfere with the production of red blood cells, white cells, and platelets in the bone marrow.
• Not only does the cancer inhibit healthy cell production, but the chemotherapy drugs can temporarily impair blood cell production.

Leukemia comes in many forms and is just one type of cancer that requires transfusions on the regular. Now imagine the other cancers and diseases out there that also require for a patient to receive transfusions. They are so crucial to these patients in ways that are LIFE SAVING! THIS is why it is so important to donate your blood! It takes an hour at the most out of your day and the benefits are outstanding. Just one pint of blood can save as many as three people’s lives. Not only are you saving lives, but there are health benefits for donors as well like:

• Prevention of hemochromatosis
• Lowers your risk of cancer by maintaining healthy levels of iron.
• Maintains healthy heart and liver by eliminating the risk of iron overload in the body which can cause cirrhosis, liver failure, damage to the pancreas, and irregular heart rhythms.
• Replenishes your body with new blood cells which help maintain good health.

You could help patients like Hazel, who still have a lifetime ahead of them, that she and no other child deserves to miss out on. Elementary school, middle school, high school graduation, college, her wedding day, a family of her own! So many milestones that we can help children like Hazel reach with a simple blood donation. I encourage you all to make an appointment to donate blood at a local blood drive in the next 24 hours! You can simply visit: https://www.redcross.org/give-blood

Happy Blood Donation!