For Kyle Best, blood donation is more than a good deed. It is deeply personal.

As a former EMT, a blood recipient, the father of children whose medical care required transfusions, and an American Red Cross Biomedical Services employee, Kyle has witnessed the lifesaving power of blood donation from nearly every possible perspective. Today, as a proud gay man who is able to donate blood under updated FDA eligibility guidelines, he has also added yet another chapter to that story: blood donor.

"It's about finally being able to participate in something that matters deeply to me," Kyle said. "I wanted the opportunity to help. Now I have it."  Kyle’s dedication to serving others embodies the spirit of community building that is central to LGBTQ+ History Month in October. 

Understanding Blood's Value Firsthand

Kyle, who lives in Woods Cross, Utah, describes himself first as a husband and father. He and his husband are raising two young children and, like many parents, spend much of their time balancing family life, home projects and the occasional movie night. 

For many people, the importance of blood donation is easy to understand in theory. For Kyle, it became intensely personal.

Years ago, he suffered a catastrophic injury that left him with a crushed skull. The road to recovery required major reconstructive surgery lasting up to 12 hours, including three plates, 19 screws, an artificial orbital and blood transfusions. "Thankfully, I came out on the other side," he said. 

Later, blood became part of his family's story again when he and his husband experienced the heartbreaking loss of two children. During those difficult moments, transfusions were an important part of the medical care they received.

Those experiences permanently changed how Kyle views every unit of donated blood. "When you're lying in a hospital bed yourself, or standing beside someone you love, you're not thinking about inventory levels, collection goals or forecasts," he said. "You're simply grateful that when blood was needed, it was there."

The donors who helped him and his family remain strangers. Yet their selfless decisions left a lasting impact. "Somewhere, people we will never meet made the decision to donate without knowing who would eventually receive their blood," he said. "I will always be grateful for them."

A Career Dedicated to the Blood Supply

Kyle has spent the last decade helping strengthen the nation's blood supply through his work with Red Cross Biomedical Services. Today, he focuses on red blood cell products, helping ensure the right blood products are collected and available to meet the needs of hospital patients. His work often revolves around projections, forecasts and strategy. But behind every data point, he sees something more important.

"Every spreadsheet eventually comes back to something remarkably simple," he said. "A person has to walk through the door, sit in the chair and decide to give."

He understands that every donation represents much more than a number. "They are someone's spouse. Someone's parent. Someone's child. Someone's sibling. Someone's best friend," he said. "They are a whole life."

Finally Able to Roll Up His Sleeve

For years, Kyle lived with a contradiction. He could devote his career to supporting the blood supply. He could advocate for blood donation and witness its impact firsthand. Yet, as a gay man, there were periods when he was unable to participate personally as a blood donor because of blood donation eligibility policies in place at the time.

The FDA's 2023 update to donor eligibility guidance changed that, moving toward an individualized assessment of risk rather than evaluating donors based on sexual orientation.

For Kyle, the change represented more than eligibility.

"It means I can be evaluated as an individual, based on individual risk factors, rather than being defined by my sexual orientation," he said. "There is something incredibly meaningful about simply being evaluated as me."

Showing Up Before Someone Needs You

As LGBTQ+ History Month celebrates the resilience, achievements and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals, Kyle's story stands as a powerful reminder that making a difference often begins with a simple act.

His message to newly eligible donors, especially those who may have assumed blood donation was never an option, is simple: "Take another look. The answer may be different now. The patient in a hospital isn't thinking about who you love or what your family looks like," he said. "They need blood. If you're healthy, eligible and willing to give, you may now have an opportunity to help provide it."

In the end, Kyle believes blood donation's greatest power lies in its simplicity. On any ordinary day, a donor can spend less than an hour giving blood, never knowing where it will go or whose life it may touch. But somewhere down the road, that gift could mean everything. "You just have to show up before that moment happens," Kyle said. "They already showed up. That made all the difference."

Information specific to blood donation and the LGBTQ+ community can be found on the LGBTQ+ Donors page.