Sometimes a “thank you” does not seem to be enough words to cover everything someone has done n particularly when they are strangers, particularly when they didn’t have to, and particularly when you consider why they did it n because lives were at stake.
The Charles Drew Community Blood Donation Campaign of the American Red Cross in St. Louis recognized dozens of men and women who rolled up their sleeves to give blood for children with sickle cell anemia or who organized major blood drives on their behalf.
Approximately 400 “Charles Drew Donors” gave blood at least twice in the last year.
“Super Donors” were 12 individuals recognized for contributing five or six times a year to the Charles Drew campaign for sickle cell patients. Five were present, including Leah Stoddard, Patti Richardson, John Lee, Hazel Welch and Wilfred Buggage.
“ARC Angel” awards were presented to community partners Tom Bailey, for blood drives at the Missouri Black Expo; James Banks (posthumously), who organized Army Reserve Military Personnel blood drives twice a year for almost 10 years; Maj. Alfred L. Adkins for recruiting blood donors from the St. Louis Police Dept. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; the St. Louis Chapter of Links, Inc. and the employee Lunch Crew at the American Red Cross.
“You are advancing and enhancing the quality of life for us who live with sickle cell anemia everyday,” said Michael Johnson, sickle cell chaplain at Saint Louis Children’s Hospital, who also has sickle cell anemia.
Perhaps the greatest reward for the honorees came from seeing and hearing from three dynamic, young survivors of sickle cell, including two who benefit directly from blood transfusions made possible by the Charles Drew campaign.
Isaac Singleton Jr., a ninth grader at Metro Academic & Classical Academy, had a stroke when he was only 17 months old due to sickle cell anemia. He receives blood transfusion therapy to prevent another stroke.
“I consider your donations a gift of life. Please, continue to encourage your family and friends to donate. Having blood available helps me and other children, lead a healthy and happy life,” Singleton said.
“I’ve been blessed with no pain episodes or hospitalizations during the last four years. And because of no hospitalizations, I’ve been able to achieve good grades in all of my classes, elected ninth grade class representative, in student council and I’ve joined the debate team.”
Timera Bramlett visits Saint Louis Children’s Hospital every four weeks for a blood transfusion. She had a stroke in 2004.
“Now that I receive blood transfusions, I feel better every day, I don’t have to struggle to learn and I am doing better at school,” Bramlett told the audience. “I want to thank you all for your support of the Charles Drew Blood Drives that you host in your churches and also because you are a match not just to me, but to the other kids like me. We appreciate all you do. It is a blessing to know that someone has our back. You have allowed us to grow, receive and achieve our goals and dreams,” Bramlett said.
“I would like to thank everyone here for doing what Jesus did for you n He shed His blood to save me and you. And you are giving yours to others to save them.”
Her church, Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. and Greater St. Mark Family Church were mentioned as two churches in the area that host very successful sickle cell anemia blood drives in the St. Louis area.
Twenty-eight-year-old Bonita Washington outlived by seven years (and counting) the odds she overheard doctors presenting to her mother during one of her many hospitalizations. She said it was at that point, that she decided to live her life to the fullest.
“I told myself that I was going to do everything that I wanted to do n that included playing basketball, volleyball, dance and the marching band. Even though I may have ended up in the hospital later, I enjoyed every minute of it!” Washington said. “Being allowed to do so n not by my doctors, but by my mother, gave me the courage and the strength that I needed to complete high school and to go on to college.”
For the past four years, she has worked as a social worker and part-time for the American Red Cross.
“I average about one hospitalization a year, but to this day, I still continue to struggle with pain on a regular basis that at times leaves me motionless, but I push on and do the best that I can to continue on my daily activities.”
“I would like to thank every Charles Drew donor and parent in this room today, because without you, there is a possibility that a young person like myself, might not have lived past the age of 21.”
Back to my original point: sometimes a “thank you” comes in forms other than words n like the big, toothy smile of a child, the clasped hands of a captive audience or in a tear strolling down a joy-filled mother’s face.
On this day, donors to the Charles Drew sickle cell anemia blood campaign received well-earned “thank yous” four times over.