Jim and Matt are celebrating their 8th wedding anniversary. As parents, they’ve always given back to the community and now they are able to donate blood at their township’s Red Cross blood drive. Something they’re both very proud to do.
“This is a long time coming for us and we’re excited to be able to donate blood today,” said Jim Lawrence-Evans of Washington Township. “We think it is really important to give back and this is a clear message to others that donating blood is something selfless to do that doesn’t really require much of you other than your time.”
“It’s such a valuable gift that costs nothing,” Matt Lawrence-Evans, Jim’s husband, added,
The American Red Cross is now welcoming more donors into its lifesaving mission through updated FDA blood donation eligibility guidelines that eliminate longstanding broad, time-based deferrals based on sexual orientation.
“The American Red Cross is excited to implement the new FDA guidelines,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “We celebrate this change and remain committed to achieving an inclusive blood donation process that treats all potential donors with equality and respect while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.”
Historic change
Under this new donor screening process, all donors answer the same eligibility questions regardless of gender or sexual orientation and will be assessed for blood donation based on individual risk factors, not on sexual orientation. This change eliminates the FDA’s previous policy that deferred men who have sex with men from giving blood.
The Red Cross is committed to achieving further progress and will continue to provide data to the FDA in support of making blood donation even more inclusive.
Jim and Matt plan to donate blood as much as possible and will mark the significance of this occasion by donating together during their anniversary. “This will become a new tradition for us to not only celebrate our time together, but also a way to give back to the community,” said Matt. “This will become another part of our story.”
Learn more
The Red Cross welcomes everyone who wishes to be part of our humanitarian mission. You can learn more about these updates as part of our Eligibility FAQs. There is also information specific to the LGBTQ+ community on our LGBTQ+ Donors page.
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