Dear Blood Donor,

Thank you for donating blood to save lives. In January of this year (2009), you saved the life of someone I love. My 16-year-old stepdaughter was a passenger in a car that slid out of control in the rain, went off-road, and hit a large tree. It tooks rescue workers and the "jaws of life" more than an hour and a half to remove her from the vehicle. She spent two days in intensive care at a hospital's trauma unit before being stabilized and moved to the regular floor.

But after 5 days, instead of improving, her vital signs began to weaken. It was worrying to watch as she grew pale and listless. She would barely lift her head or answer questions. It was determined that the trauma to her femur was too much for her body to overcome on her own, and despite shots to help her body produce its own red blood cells (the femur produces most of the body's blood during the teen years), she would need a blood transfusion.

She was nervous about accepting someone else's blood into her body, but looked forward to feeling better and having energy again. She had lost so much blood during the accident that she would need 3 units- a nine-hour process. It was done overnight so she could sleep through the process. We watched hopefully as the nurses hooked up the bags and tubes, and counted down the time to when the blood finally made it up the tube and into her IV. I stayed for several hours, and then went home to my own children late that night.

When I returned the next day, the difference was amazing! Just the night before she had been pale and lifeless. Now she was the vibrant and chattering teenager we knew and loved! She got to go home just 2 days later. You didn't just save her life that night. You saved our family- this crazy, blended, extended family that never would recovered if we had lost her. Thank you isn't enough, but thank you.

Sincerely,
Natasha, Petaluma resident