Spreading the Love, One Donation at a Time

The year was 1968. Fall was in full swing, and 14-year-old Christine Camann was sanding her family’s porch with bright orange Rust-Oleum. For a moment, she wondered whether they should leave it that color for the season’s festivities.

But another thought lingered in the back of her mind.

Is my dad going to be okay?

Christine’s father was scheduled to undergo surgery to replace two valves in his heart. The family had been told to expect him to remain in intensive care for about a week following the procedure. Instead, to Christine’s surprise, he returned home that same day. “They can’t do the surgery,” her father told the family. “They don’t have enough blood.”

Both Christine and her father were O negative. O-negative red blood cells can be given to patients of any blood type, making them especially valuable in emergencies. But for people with O-negative blood, the compatibility does not work in reverse—they can receive only O-negative red blood cells. For Christine, the importance of an adequate blood supply suddenly became deeply personal.

“I resolved right then that I didn’t want anybody else ever to be in a situation where the doctors couldn’t take care of them because they didn’t have enough blood,” Christine recalled. “I felt bad because I couldn’t donate. I was only 14.”

At the time, donors had to be at least 18 years old. Christine did not specify exactly when she made her first donation, but the experience with her father became part of what would inspire a decades-long commitment to giving blood.

Over the years, Christine found more reasons to continue. She read stories about patients who depended on donated blood. She knew people personally, including her father, whose medical care had been affected by its availability. And sometimes, a few weeks after giving blood, she would receive a notification letting her know where her donation had gone. Some of those messages told her that her blood had helped premature babies.

For Christine, those reminders connected the donation process to the people on the other side of it. A little time spent donating could mean something much larger for a patient or family in need.

As the years passed, the donations added up.

Christine received milestone pins recognizing how many gallons of blood she had given. Eventually, she lost count of them. She knew she had passed 10 gallons, but the recognition was never what kept her returning. Then she received notice that she had reached 20 gallons. A larger milestone pin made its mark.

“Maybe I oughtta get this one!” she said.

Christine has also watched the donation experience evolve through the years. As the Red Cross has strengthened and refined its screening process, donor questionnaires have become more detailed, while advances in technology have helped make other parts of the donation process faster and more efficient.

There is one change, however, that Christine remembers particularly well: the snacks. Years ago, organizations sponsoring blood drives were responsible for providing refreshments. Donors were encouraged to drink water or fruit juice and eat a snack after giving blood. When churches hosted drives, Christine remembers homemade treats, including pies, appearing at the refreshment table.

Today, donors are more likely to find prepackaged snacks. “I understand the reasons for prepackaged foods,” Christine said, “but boy, I thought the homemade stuff was a really good deal!” The refreshments are not the only thing that has made Christine’s donation experiences memorable. She typically donates four to six times a year and does not always encounter the same staff members. Still, some manage to remember her.

It may have something to do with the cow.

During a blood donation, donors are often given something soft to squeeze in their hand. Christine began bringing her own—a small rubber cow whose legs she could lock her fingers around while donating. The cow developed a reputation of its own. “Oh, you’re the one that has the cow!” Christine recalled hearing from staff members. Over time, she joked, the cow gained a little “infamy.”

The homemade pies, milestone pins and infamous cow bring humor to Christine’s memories, but beneath them is the same motivation that began decades ago with a 14-year-old girl worrying about her father. She knows what a blood donation can mean when someone needs it.

For anyone who has never donated but is considering it, Christine points to how much impact can come from a relatively small investment of time and effort.

“It’s amazing what a little time and effort can do for other people in need,” she said. “Go for it, that’s what I would say.”

After decades of giving, Christine’s story is marked not only by incredible commitment, but by the care, consistency and generosity behind each donation. From the pledge she made at 14 to the many donations that followed, her motivation has remained rooted in helping others when they need it most.

In Christine’s words, it comes down to something incredibly impactful but quite simple:

“Just spread the love.”

There is a critical need for blood donors as the readily available blood supply reached a four-year summer low. You can spread the love by helping to ensure that patients receive the lifesaving care they need by making an appointment to donate. 

Visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or download the free Red Cross Blood Donor app to find an appointment nearest you.

Written by: Cinnamon Morris, Communications Volunteer, Red Cross of WNY