Yesterday I took a big leap of faith.  The last time I took this leap, I passed out.  Not a great experience.  On to the story – I was at my church dropping something off on Monday afternoon.  A fellow member stopped me in the hallway and asked me if I was there for the blood drive.  I told him no, but said “if you have an opening, I can try.”

This was one of those times where I didn’t think about the words I was saying until they were said.  The last time I tried to give blood, I passed out.  It wasn’t pleasant.  My blood pressure was too low.  But the man seemed like he needed some people.  So I followed him to the other building and said I would give it a shot.

Back in the “interview room”, they took my blood pressure.  It was normal!  Then came the next step:  the finger prick.  Now this brought back some memories… when I was five, they pricked my finger in the doctor’s office.  I screamed at the top of my lungs.  Shots?  I’m fine with.  Sight of blood?  Sure.  Finger pricks?  Heck no.  That one moment in my earlier years scarred me for life.  But I looked away and told the nurse not to give me any warning, just to do it.  She did.  I lived.

I passed the initial test.  Now, could I actually go through the whole thing without passing out?  Long story short – one Sprite, an ice pack, and a reclining chair later, I gave one unit of blood.  Woohoo!

I tell you this story not to prove I can overcome my fears, but because of the things I overheard while I kept squeezing my fist alternated with opening it wide.  Our church used to get quite a few donors when we have the blood drive.  They now get a dozen.  Manufacturing facilities used to open their doors to the Blood-Mobile and allow employees time off to give blood.  Of those that still have their doors open, many are phasing this out.

Just in the area stretching from Clemson to Spartanburg, 300 units of blood are needed every day to fill the need our own neighbors have in their darkest hours.  While I enjoyed some orange juice and home made cookies afterward, the gentleman who invited me to come give sat down next to me.  We brainstormed for a while how to get more people from our church to overcome their fears and give.  This very wise man reminded me – “it only takes one.”

On the way out, they presented me with my very own Clemson orange t-shirt that proclaims, “My Blood Runs Orange!”  It really is a beautiful sight to behold.  But no matter what color your blood may run, I encourage you to overcome any fears you have and give blood.  It’s the easiest and quickest way I can think of to save a life.

And hey, if you hurry, they might even give you your very own orange t-shirt too!