“I give platelets because my wife had metastatic breast cancer – it had metastasized to her liver. She became really jaundiced and went in to have some blood work done,” James Braun of Lexington, SC, recalls his wife’s battle with cancer. “Her platelet count was about as low as you can get; they gave her two transfusions that night in the hospital. I keep giving in her honor to try to help somebody else.”

James has given a total of 232 blood donations, most of them platelets—the clotting portion of blood, with the American Red Cross. His beloved wife, Kim Perry, passed away on November 15, 2019, and he’s been giving platelets ever since. In fact, a plaque bearing his name hangs in the Columbia Donor Center, alongside other dedicated donors who give 18+ platelet donations each year, recognizing and celebrating the incredible gift of life.

Patients undergoing cancer treatments often require blood or platelet transfusions during their treatments. Nearly half of all platelet donations are given to patients undergoing cancer treatments – a disease all too familiar to millions of Americans and their families.

“Mine go to MUSC, Lexington Medical Center, and even Puerto Rico,” James describes the Red Cross Blood Donor app that features ‘Your Blood Journey’ – a way to follow a donation to the hospital that requests a donor’s specific blood match. “It makes me feel good knowing that somebody is getting it and they’re having a chance.”

Platelets must be transfused within five days of donation, so there is a constant, often critical need for new and current donors to give to keep up with hospital demand.

“It’s worth it. Get out there and donate – if you can give somebody five more minutes with their loved ones, then it’s worth it,” said James on why he continues to give platelets every two weeks. “The last time I came here, I met a lady who had received platelets that saved her life. That was the first time somebody who received platelets and survived thanked me for what I’m doing.”

The American Red Cross is experiencing a national blood shortage. Donors of all blood types are urgently needed, and there is an emergency need for platelet donors and type O blood donors to give now to ensure patients across the country continue receiving critical medical care. Make an appointment to give blood or platelets at a blood drive near you: redcrossblood.org