When I started writing my newsletter over 2 years ago I always said it was about more than food. And now that I have turned the newsletter into this Blog, it is still about more than food.
It’s about life.
Something stirred inside of me this past weekend after watching Extreme Home Makeover, I cried liked a baby! I’m big enough to admit it!
They featured a wonderful family, The Bell Family from Tucson, Arizona and Lizzie their 14 year old daughter has Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA), a rare bone marrow failure disease.
What is Diamond-Blackfan Anemia? To keep it short, it’s a genetic blood disorder. It results from the failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells, the cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. The cause of Diamond Blackfan Anemia in many patients is not known. Did you know that Every 2 seconds someone in the United States needs blood or a blood product?
As I was watching I was thinking to myself this girl is so mature beyond her years and while other 14 year olds don’t have a care in the world, here is this girl, along with her 12 year old sister and parents trying to save the world one pint of blood at a time. WOW! Read more about Lizzie and the John P. Bell Family Foundation at www.lizzie.org
I knew after watching I just had to do something no matter how trivial, of course it would be trivial compared to what the Bell Family is doing. So this Thursday I have made an appointment to give blood! And I am giving my word that I will regularly give blood from this point on. I also gave my word I would encourage others to give blood, hence this blog.
As Lizzie quoted when someone asked her “how much?" she said “One Pint” he put his wallet away, sometimes it’s not always about the money, but more how you can physically help.
Are you eligible to give? Well are you in good health? At least 17? Weight at least 110 pounds? Then you are pretty much able to give blood. Eligibility may vary from area to area, so check with your local donor center.
No time to give? Can you spare maybe 1 hour start to finish to save someone’s life?
How can I assure a pleasant donation experience? Get a good night’s sleep; eat a good breakfast if donating the AM and a good lunch if you are donating in the afternoon. To ensure your iron levels are normal make sure your regular diet includes iron enriched foods, such as Liver, lean meat, poultry, fish, green leafy vegetable, raisins, died beans, peas, whole wheat and eggs to name a few. RELAX during the donation. You can go about your daily activities, but avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for the remainder of the day.
Did you know that when you make a blood donation, you join a very select group? Currently only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood and even less in Bermuda.
Not only am going to give blood regularly for Lizzie, and others like Lizzie, I am doing this in honor of my brother, who passed away too young and I am, to this day, still on the Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
Hey Remember Lizzie cannot live without your blood!
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