MONROE, La.— Blood supply and donations are still low across Northeast Louisiana. “But it was that blood that came along and gave my body the strength to fight, so that I could get up and you know…live,” said Jae Wold, Blood Recipient.
Jae Wold is a blood recipient who says without someone donating blood, she may not be alive to share her story.
“And the doctor came in and was like…she needs blood and immediately they were able to go and retrieve it and get it to me and sometimes when he ordered it, I was in and out of consciousness,” said Wold.
Wold says when you donate blood, you’re not just helping the recipient fight for their life, you’re giving the family a second chance. “Not only are you helping somebody who desperately needs it, but you are blessing their family and because somebody did that, not knowing it was gonna go to me, they literally saved my family,” said Wold.
But donating blood doesn’t just go to adults and kids in need, in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit at the hospitals, babies need frequent check ups that include blood transfusions.
“We need all types of blood you know because some babies need A, or B, or O. We in the NICU use type specific types of blood,” said Carmen Payne, Neonatologist at St. Francis Medical Center.
While the numbers of blood donations are down, LifeShare organizers say this is best and safest time to give blood. Wold says donating blood could be the deciding factor on someone’s life and you just never know.
“Go ahead and be brave and realize that what you’re doing is far more valuable than you will ever know,” said Wold.
