Your Red Cross Update

by Alex Keilty

“We were the same age, we went to Boy Scout camp together,” says Rodrigo Galindo recalling his friend Steven. “Our dads served together on the same ship in the US Navy.”

When Steven became sick with leukemia, Rodrigo was about 13 years old and felt powerless to help. And then when Steven lost his battle with cancer, Rodrigo’s whole family mourned the loss. “We were god brothers,” he says.

Never forgetting his friend and the importance of blood donations for cancer treatment, Rodrigo donated blood for the first time in high school as soon as he was old enough. Since then, he has become a regular blood donor and recently celebrated an extra special accomplishment: his 50th blood donation to the American Red Cross.

Hanna Malak, Red Cross Regional CEO of the Northern California Coastal Region, celebrated this milestone with Rodrigo. They met about 10 years ago when Rodrigo wanted to host a blood drive at his colleague Justin Nelson’s church in San José. That led to several more community blood drives, organized by Rodrigo, and a friendship grew between them built on a shared commitment to helping people.

“Hanna has definitely been influential in encouraging me to donate; I’m thankful to have him as a friend,” says Rodrigo.

While Hanna continually encourages Rodrigo to donate blood, Rodrigo encouraged Hanna to serve with him on the board of the Medically Fragile Children’s Foundation of Northern California, which provides childhood experiences, like going to camp or prom, to children and teens who require continuous medical technology and intervention to sustain life.

Another factor that motivates Rodrigo to donate blood is his job. He works as a healthcare Simulation Lab Manager and Operations Specialist at the Center for Advanced Pediatric and Perinatal Education (CAPE) in the Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine/Pediatrics Department at Stanford University School of Medicine. In this role, he supports simulation-based training and research that aims to improve behavioral/technical skills, systems, and team performance for healthcare professionals in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. Working in healthcare provides a constant reminder of the ongoing need for lifesaving blood at hospitals.

“It’s my hope, if I have a family member in need…” Rodrigo trails off, perhaps imagining one of his three children needing blood. “If you have been given the gift of healthy blood, why not use it?”

The Red Cross appreciates blood donors like Rodrigo who share their gift with people whose lives depend upon it. To become a blood donor today visit redcrossblood.org.