By Isabel Anderson

In 1993, Dwayne Cree Medicine witnessed a man hurting a woman, so he stepped in to defend her. The attacker shot Dwayne in the leg leaving him fighting for his life.  From the time of the accident to the hospital, Dwayne’s heart stopped, and he was revived 3 times: onsite, in the ambulance and while being flown to a bigger hospital.

As part of the Blackfeet Tribe tradition, Dwayne believed that he must keep everything he was born with, including toenails, hair and blood, to ensure a smoother and faster journey to the next life. This tradition was so important to him that when he learned doctors would have to amputate his lower leg, Dwayne asked if he could keep it so he could bury it in the family cemetery on his reservation.

Due to this tradition, Dwayne never donated blood but now his perspective has completely shifted and so has the perspective of those around him.

When talking to his spiritual leader he was told: “The story that you have, it has changed people’s lives on the reservation because it goes back to: if we didn’t give blood, we would’ve lost Dwayne”.

Dwayne often shares his story with the people around him and ultimately, this has changed the views about blood donation among his friends and family.

“My children – give blood. My mom was against it – she gives blood. My dad, before he passed away, was against it and gave blood. My sisters give blood.”

Before Dwayne was critically injured and needed blood, he never thought he would donate his own blood. After he experienced first-hand what incredible impact blood donations have, he lives with a new philosophy: “Before something happens and you have to draw blood, why don’t you give blood now and save people?” Now Dwayne is working his way towards his second gallon milestone and a proud blood donor.

Whatever motivates you, it’s never too late to donate for the first time. You can donate blood by visiting redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS.