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Thank the Donor

Thank the Donor is a program that connects blood recipients with the actual donors who helped save their lives. It gives recipients a meaningful way to share messages of gratitude for the gift of life they received. And sometimes, a single message reminds us just how incredible this work truly feels. 

THE LIFE YOU SAVED: THE GIRL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TREE 

woman with family smiling to say thank you to the donors for their blood donations to ImpactLifeOn April 5, 2025 I was home alone unpacking boxes in the kitchen so we could move into our new home in the following days. 

I heard a loud sound and ran to our bedroom window, looked up over my shoulder and was instantly knocked to the ground surrounded by darkness. I was face down and frog legged with a shattered pelvis. It was a massive tree, 4 feet in diameter, crushing me. 

I broke into tears, screaming for help but no one heard me. It began to rain and I could feel the weight of everything on top of me. Attic insulation was up against my face and became saturated with rain water. Everything was so heavy. I couldn’t move. I was going to drown or be crushed (or unbeknownst to me, bleed) to death. 

I did the only thing I knew to do. I prayed and surrendered my life to the Lord. Full, absolute surrender. I asked that He allow me to watch over my children for the rest of their lives and to give my husband?the strength to do it alone and to move on. Absolute, full surrender. I laid my head down to die. 

It was moments later that a neighbor found me. When first responders arrived on the scene it took them three and a half hours to get me out. 

I was bleeding to death, with the tree acting as a tourniquet. By the grace of God, and the help of a dear friend we got the trauma surgeon on call to the scene along with the ED nurse manager. They brought me blood. Blood that YOU so graciously donated. You saved my life, allowing me to continue to be a wife, mom, daughter, and friend. 

The four units of blood I received on the scene allowed me to make it to the hospital?- barely. I was immediately rushed into countless life-saving surgeries, during which I eventually needed another blood transfusion, receiving 15 units of packed red blood cells, 15 units of plasma and 2 units of platelets. 

Your donor blood saved my life on April 5. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for taking time out of your life to save mine. 

Please don’t stop donating! We are currently facing an extreme, critical blood and donor shortage. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving my life 

Soul On Fire

We shared a powerful story in St. Louis 

We were honored to welcome John O’Leary, the inspiration behind the new movie Soul on Fire, to our Crestwood Donor Center this month. John survived a devastating childhood accident that required more than 100 units of blood, and his story continues to inspire generosity in others. 

To celebrate the film’s release and highlight the impact of blood donation, the first 100 donors at our four St. Louis area centers received a Fandango gift card for one movie ticket. 

Local news outlets KTIV, KMOV, and KSDK were there to share how lifesaving blood helped fuel John’s fight and how donors today can help patients tomorrow. 

Thank you to John and our media partners for helping shine a spotlight on the lifesaving power of giving. 

DMV Drive in Springfield, Illinois

Where else can you donate blood and renew your license in the same visit? Springfield showed us how. 

Last week, we joined Ward 5 Alderwoman Lakeisha Purchase at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and School for a community blood drive that also featured Springfield’s mobile DMV services. It was a creative way to make donation easier and provide access to services that help everyone. 

Thank you to everyone who rolled up their sleeves and made this drive a success. Together, we are building a healthy community one donation at a time.