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Blood Donors Have Heart

For Will Kohn, that heart meant more time to make more memories.

February was Heart Month, so we’re sharing the story of a seven-year-old Bettendorf boy who made a big impact during his far-too-short life.

The Quad-Cities community followed his heart journey back in 2017, when his parents Meghan and Chris created the Team Where There's a Will There's A Way Facebook page.

Will was born in 2010 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and spent much of his young life in and out of the hospital. He was the very first patient at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City. He was even featured in a USA Today story about the Iowa Wave.

Stop The Bleed St. Louis Partnering to Save Lives

When seconds matter, preparation saves lives.

We partnered with Fox High School and Stop the Bleed in St. Louis to spotlight two powerful ways to help trauma patients: controlling bleeding at the scene and making sure blood is available when they reach the hospital.

While students and staff rolled up their sleeves to donate, Stop the Bleed representatives shared life saving techniques for responding to severe bleeding after an injury. Immediate action and a strong blood supply work hand in hand.

SSM Health Trauma Injury Prevention Outreach Coordinator Haley Strebler demonstrated for KSDK 5 On Your Side the Stop the Bleed training they are conducting for students and staff in many St. Louis area school districts.

The partnership comes at an important time in Missouri. As of January 1, the Stop the Bleed Act requires all public and charter schools to install traumatic blood loss kits in high traffic areas and train staff to use them. Schools across the St. Louis region are already receiving training and equipping their buildings with the required kits.

Donor Frequency Graphic

Giving blood just got even more rewarding.

We launched our new Donor Frequency Rewards Program, making it easier than ever to save lives and earn something back along the way.

Every non deferred donation you make in 2026 now counts toward rewards. The more you give, the more you earn. Whether it’s whole blood or platelets, each completed donation moves you closer to gift cards, Rewards Store points, or even a charitable donation through our Good Giving program.

Show up. Roll up your sleeve. Make an impact. Then choose how you’d like to be rewarded.

Good Giving Gets a Refresh

Starting Monday, we’re refreshing our Good Giving Program, making it even easier for donors to support causes they care about.

Good Giving connects blood donors with meaningful nonprofits. After you donate, you can choose to pass along your post donation reward to a curated list of 501(c)(3) organizations, turning everyday generosity into real world impact.

From Monday through August 30, 2026, donors can choose from one list of charities. Then beginning August 31, 2026 through February 28, 2027, a whole new group of curated nonprofits will be available.

It’s a simple way to give back, support important causes, and help save lives all at once.

Learn More