Published on Friday, December 5, 2025 in Blog

December 5, 2025

FEEL-GOOD NEWS

Be The Light

Hannah Mansell continues to put good into the world. 

In her far-too-short life she was a bright light in her Mattoon, Illinois, community, teaching American Sign Language at a local junior high, and giving back as a blood donor. 

After losing her to COVID in 2020, her family created Hannah's Happy Day Foundation to leave a legacy of kindness. One way they do that is through Be The Light blood drives, including one held last month in Mattoon. 

It's our privilege to be part of Hannah's legacy. 

Be The Light. Watch her story here. Learn more about the Happy Day Foundation.

Giving Back Is In Our Blood

Our teams know how to get in the holiday spirit! Last week, our Human Resources and Volunteer Resources teams came together to spread some cheer. They chose to support troops stationed overseas, assembling care packages filled with items meant to brighten time away from home.

Together, the team purchased supplies, packed boxes, and made sure each shipment was ready to travel thousands of miles. 

40 Gallons Donated, So many Lives saved

Last week, we had the chance to celebrate an incredible achievement with one of our longtime Crestwood blood donors. 

Kevin Murphy reached his 40 gallon milestone as a blood donor, a level of dedication that reflects decades of commitment to patients across our region. We celebrated with cake and our new gallon milestone signs. 

Kevin has supported our mission far beyond his time in the chair. During his career in law enforcement, he served as a blood drive coordinator and retired as Chief of Police in Clayton, Missouri. He has also remained active with the FBI National Academy alumni community, continuing to encourage others to give.

We are grateful for Kevin’s long history of generosity and proud to celebrate this milestone with him!

New Sweatshirt Just Launched

Winter just got a little cozier!

A new limited-edition crewneck sweatshirt is now available in our Rewards Store. The black sweatshirt is a preshrunk 50/50 cotton polyester blend, in sizes small-4xl.

Donors can redeem this cozy new layer for 1,000 points for a short time, with a limit of one per donor. It increases to 1,500 points on January 10, 2026

New Sweatshirt Just Launched

In The News

We love to see blood donation in national media! 

And this Giving Tuesday, Vox reporter (and blood donor!) Shayna Korol published a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities facing blood donation across the United States and around the world. The piece included perspectives from eleven blood industry contacts, medical professionals, and university researchers, including our team!

Check out the story here.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Brett Edmonds

Lead - Donor Recruitment | Springfield, Illinois

Brett Edmonds, Lead - Donor Recruitment

Time at ImpactLife
4 Years

Blood Type
O Positive

What runs through your veins?
Monster Energy drinks and Star Trek.

What's your favorite thing about being part of our team?
Donor Recruitment is the heartbeat of our mission—the first and lasting voice our donors hear. I’m honored to be on the frontlines of the blood industry, representing a department filled with some of the most generous, compassionate, and dedicated individuals you’ll ever meet. My own team inspires me. My colleagues uplift and support me. Together, we embody the spirit of service and the power of unity. I’m proud to stand alongside them, making a difference one donor at a time. What drives me every day at ImpactLife is the deep, shared passion for helping others—a quality that radiates from every corner of this organization. It’s not just inspiring; it’s a reflection of what it means to be human.

When you are not at work you can be found?
Usually, I can be found watching and re-watching Star Trek series' and looking up starship schematics; Reading about astronomy and space. I also like to listen to podcasts like The Magnus Archives or Welcome to Night Vale. I enjoy playing video games like the Final Fantasy series or No Man's Sky. I am also very active in the local LGBT+ communities and circles - advocating blood donation whenever someone will listen!

Feel-Good News is published every Friday to inspire + connect our ImpactLife team.

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