Prosper Comes Together to Combat Blood Shortage

PROSPER, TX – The gift of donating blood is sometimes taken for granted, but not for area residents and JustServe volunteers who answered a call to action for donations on Saturday, February 1.  A Red Cross team assembled at a meetinghouse gymnasium of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to set up the event for a day of donations.

According to the American Red Cross, the organization is currently experiencing an emergency blood shortage, reporting the nation’s lowest number of people donating blood in 20 years. Every two seconds in the United States, blood is needed to save lives of those experiencing tragic accidents, chronic illness, pregnancy, anemia, surgeries, fires, sickle cell disease, leukemia, and other cancers.

Angela Johnson, JustServe coordinator for the Church of Jesus Christ in Prosper, is grateful for the help of full-time missionaries who manned the check-in stations at the church doors and the JustServe volunteers who helped in every way. They relieved check-in, set up recovery refreshments and made donors and Red Cross volunteers comfortable with chats and logistics assistance.  

Ed and Rebecca Leland were among many donors, but this wasn’t Ed’s first blood drive “rodeo.” Ed Leland is a universal donor, meaning his blood type, O-, can be used in all transfusions. He’s known for offering “power red” donations, where the donor’s blood goes through a machine, separating much-needed red blood cells for the recipient. It then returns blood platelets and plasma back to the donor, restoring any fluid loss in the body. NICU wards in hospitals often use “power red” blood cell donations for babies in medical crises.

“We were happy to donate.” Rebecca Leland said. “The process was well organized. The Red Cross was extremely professional, and it was a painless, quick experience.” For those who are interested in donating blood but are fearful of needles, this news is quite encouraging!

“Leaving [the blood drive] makes you feel good that you helped someone in need,” Leland concluded.

Thank you to JustServe.org and all those who volunteered, participated, hosted, and donated. And a big thank you to the wonderful Red Cross team who gets life-saving blood to all those who need it!