'Thank you for letting me live'

Don't miss Nancy Crossfield's Valley Voices commentary in Saturday's Bee on her experiences as a blood donor. Delightful and informative. She is a medical librarian for Saint Agnes Medical Center.

I don't have a million dollars in the bank, but I can still be a philanthropist, and so can you. Get yourself to the blood center, a Bloodmobile or other donation site and roll up your sleeve. Round up some friends and make it a party. Give for those who can't and for those who need it. As it says on the blood center's Web page, "Be a hero!" I'll save some doughnuts and cookies for you.

A pal of mine, former Fresnan Sandi Tompkins, had an inspiring story published in the December issue of Today's Christian magazine about Dean Eller, president of the Central California Blood Center. It's called "The Blood Banker: In facing death, my teenage daughter discovered her purpose in life — and helped me rediscover mine." It's the compelling story of the struggle to save his daughter, Jenny, whom they lost to leukemia. You can read the story by clicking here.

I'd first seen the need for blood in Vietnam when I was 21 and serving as a medic, but I'd never known anyone like Jenny who needed so much blood to stay alive. Not long after she was diagnosed, our local blood bank asked Jenny to attend its annual appreciation luncheon to thank the donors. Claudia and I remember that day clearly. Jenny wore a long dress, and her head was bald. She walked up to the podium and looked out at the 800 regular donors in the audience, held out her hands, and her chin began to quiver: "Thank you … for letting me live."

Six words. The most powerful words a blood donor can hear.

"My body no longer makes blood," Jenny explained, "and every ounce in me belongs to someone else. Your blood may be coursing through my veins right now! Thank you for letting me live."