Air electricity.
Last week we went into a radio station
to talk about the importance of blood donation.
The day before I had gone to talk with some amazing high school students, who are a part of a Young Ambassadors program.
A small group of wonderfully enthusiastic kids, who are passionate about blood donation too,
so it ‘s been a reminder of how much Ivy and our family have been given.
Actually, Ivy had been nominated as a local hero by our friends at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service
and the interview was supposed to surround that too.
It was kind of strange but also kind of exciting and nice all at once.
We were able to meet Jemma and Cath from the blood service, which for me, was wonderful.
The interview itself was really very anti climactic
but ultimately,
if it gets the message out that blood donation is so life altering to people like Ivy
and that we appreciate the people who give us such a wonderful gift
then that is the most important thing.
What really stuck with me was meeting Allan
or rather, when Allan and Ivy met.
Allan is a long time donor who has been donating since he was in his 20′s
after a friend of his passed away.
He has donated an amazing amount of blood, plasma and platelets
and when he met the small girl I could feel the electricity in the air.
That amazing moment when donor and recipient meet – Ivy knowing that this man has helped her in so many ways is such a lovely thing to watch
and just quietly, I think he was a little bit smitten too.
Thank you Allan.
You can see the magic in the photo. Here’s cheers to Alan. Fairy wishes and butterfly kisses
Wonderful…. Thank you Allan….there are many people out there, quietly helping others. It’s good to have the opportunity to acknowledge them…
I say a prayer of thanks for everyone I see sitting in the chairs donating blood/plasma too and I’d love to tell them the difference they made to Ivy. Thanks Alan.
Here’s to Allan and the other donors. And also the genius researchers who have created the products from blood to help so many, especially the one who worked out this site’s favourite – IVIG ( aka IVY-G)!
But most of all, here’s to Ivy, Tenielle and the other youngsters who battle through this illness.
p.s. And who wouldn’t get smitten with “our” Ivy!?!
p.s. And who wouldn’t get smitten with “our” Ivy?!!
What a beautiful moment captured in your photo, thanks Alan for your generosity and selflessness, yes he looks very smitten!
and here’s to you amazing Andrew and all the other wonderful friends we have met along this journey who give so much of themselves and never expect anything in return. You are the every day heroes. xx
Brings tears to my eyes, remembering fondly of those times that I’ve been able to do, as Ivy did to these amazingly kind and generous folk who give the gift of life to us for nothing at all in return. Handing out the warm fuzzies to wonderful donors is one of the best parts of being a recipient apart from the amazing gift of life that they give in my opinion. Kudos to you Andrew and all the other Blood heros. XX
I always find it so interesting to hear why people decide to donate. Its rarely because they just felt like it one day.
I started to donate when my brother was hospitalised and treated with plasma products. The nurse explained how many donations were in one of those little clear vials, and we could see the immediate effect it had on him. He was so suddenly and dramatically ill, and there was nothing we could do – except give.
I was devastated when I went in and discovered that my veins weren’t robust enough to donate plasma (which is what he was using, and you can donate it more regularly than whole blood) but since whole blood is all I can do, thats what I do.
Ivy is a beautiful ambassador, and the more people who get to meet her, the more people will have a really good reason to make the decision to donate.
Gee, I think my eyes may be leaking a little bit. That is beautiful ♥
Wow! If a picture is worth a thousand words…the bottom picture is its definition! I see Allan walk up the stairs at the donor centre every 2 weeks. He really is a wonderfully kind gentleman. The photo took my breath away, there may have even been a few tears.
I say this every fortnight and I’ll say it again
Thankyou Allan
I got a message about this via Twitter. I’m a blood plasma donor myself. Thank you for posting this. Always good to get a bit of feedback about our services.