One more reason to "roll up a sleeve" this holiday season

                                                                          

Linda Sweet has worked for the American Red Cross for more than 15 years but only recently personally experienced how important their lifesaving mission is. On Jan. 15, 2020, her granddaughter Anya Grace was born three months premature.

On Jan. 05, 2020 Linda’s daughter, Jessica, began experiencing early signs of labor when her water broke; she was rushed to their local medical center where they kept her on complete bedrest for nine days. On Jan. 15, 2020, she started premature labor and because her baby was in distress, underwent an emergency caesarean section. Beautiful, tiny, Anya Grace was born weighing just 1 pound 15 ounces. Because she was so premature her body was not able to make the red blood cells she needed to survive so Anya Grace received 11 lifesaving blood transfusions.

Anya Grace faced many challenges during her 100 day stay in the NICU. She had tests almost daily, and had to be put on a respirator on one occasion because the loss of blood made breathing difficult on her own. With the generous gift of lifesaving blood products from amazing donors and friends and the strong faith of her family, Anya Grace is now a very healthy, happy 7-month-old baby girl.

Anya Grace’s grandmother, Linda, works for the American Red Cross. She left for a while to pursue other professional opportunities but quickly returned. “My heart was here at the Red Cross,” said Linda. “I’ve seen friends and loved ones helped by the lifesaving donations provided by our donors; my mother-in-Law received plasma, my best friend battled cancer and required blood donations. I’ve been blessed to see up close how people are helped by the generosity of donors, and now my granddaughter.”

Linda’s home base is with the Burlington Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Burlington, Vermont. She loves the staff she works with and the volunteer donors she meets when they donate, many of them on a clockwork-like schedule, at the facility. Sometimes, when a donor encounters an unexpected delay and expresses their frustration to her, she will take the time to share her personal story and tell them of her granddaughter’s struggle.

“Our donors are such special people but sometimes they do need to be reminded that blood donation is about helping patients, and I share Anya Grace’s story and how blood donation has helped her as well as touched other family member’s lives,” said Linda. “It’s easy to forget that every single blood donation is going to help a patient in need, and maybe even help to save a patient’s life. That’s an amazing gift that we all have to give freely.”

Linda has been part of the Red Cross for more than 15 years, but their mission was never more real to her than when her granddaughter was born and she watched her struggle for her life.

“Anya Grace now weighs 14 pounds 8 ounces and is doing very well! Not a day goes by that I don’t think about how important it was that blood was available when she needed it,” said Linda. “There is no other source of blood than a healthy, volunteer blood donor. I hope that everyone reading this will add regular, blood donation to their calendars and make that their most serious commitment because patients are counting on them!”