Tag Archives: Bay Area

One woman’s road to blood donation supporter begins with a 30-person carpool

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When newlywed Mary Nelson, her husband and about 30 friends met in a Bay Area parking lot one Saturday morning in 1969 to carpool to a blood donation center, little did she know it would lead to a life-long journey dedicated to donating blood.  That journey has provided her with a deep, personal belief in the power of donating.

Mary’s story starts at a popular diner in Alameda, California which Mary and her husband frequented weekly.  One day, they discovered that the diner’s well-liked chef needed emergency kidney surgery.  He required almost 10 pints of blood.  As Mary explains, the chef “had to either pay for the blood or replace it, two pints donated for each used.  So, we got organized.  My husband called the blood bank to see if they did group appointments and scheduled a Saturday. And the bar put up a signup sheet.”

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Your Blood Saves Lives: Become an American Red Cross Blood Donor Today

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Hi!  My name is Brad Warren, and I’m a volunteer with the Red Cross here in Alameda County, California.  Technically, I’m called a Blood Services Community Outreach Specialist, which is a fancy title that means I give free talks to the public on the urgent need for more blood donors.  I’m also a Public Affairs spokesperson, as well as trained to be a Disaster Cycle Services shelter worker to deploy wherever I might be needed to help staff a shelter in times of an emergency, such as a flood, earthquake, fire, etc.  But today I want to focus on why and how to become a donor, because “Ve Vant Your Blood!”

Brad donating blood in the San Leandro office

Before I go any further, let me briefly explain how I became a volunteer.  I’m a former business coach, speaker and trainer, and after a 40+ year career, I semi-retired and found myself with a lot of time on my hands.  So, I called my local Red Cross office and said I wanted to volunteer, and that my best skill was as a public speaker.  And guess what?  They told me there wasn’t any such position available!  Well, being a rather assertive person (just ask my wife), I asked to speak to someone further up the corporate ladder.  To make a very long story very short, two weeks later they called me back. They said, “Brad, we’ve created a new position just for you called a Community Outreach Specialist” and so began my volunteer work doing speaking engagements with the express purpose of getting more people to roll up their sleeves and donate.

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“I believe in the mission of saving lives”

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By Alex Keilty

Photo by Alex Keilty – American Red Cross

Meet Alvin Ehiriodo, American Red Cross blood donor, former volunteer and current employee. When it comes to the Red Cross, Alvin has done it all!

“I believe in the mission [of saving lives],” Alvin says of his commitment to the Red Cross. “I want to work for an organization that cares about the work they do.”

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One Baby’s Journey: Saving a 10-month-old’s life

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Photo courtesy of Sophia Eckert

Sophia Eckert’s first experience donating platelets with the American Red Cross in January 2025 was an emotional experience. Sophia looked around at the frequent donors who, according to the phlebotomist, came weekly to give platelets and she started to think about her two-year old son Roger. “That made me tear up,” Sophia said, “thinking Roger might have used their blood product to save his life.”

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Discovery of his rare blood type leads Pastor Riley to join the Red Cross mission

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Pastor Riley praying over a wounded service member in Afghanistan.
Photo courtesy of Frank Riley

As the largest non-profit humanitarian international organization, the American Red Cross unites volunteers globally in a common mission of service to others — a mission that blood donor Frank Riley strongly believes in. From his time serving in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps to serving his communities as a pastor, Frank has made it a priority to live out the Red Cross mission in every aspect of his life.

Frank has been a consistent blood donor since 2008 after learning that he has cytomegalovirus (CMV) negative blood, a rare blood type needed by premature babies and children with weakened immune systems. He was informed of his rare blood type during his first donation at a drive hosted by the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

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A Twice In A Lifetime Experience: Reflections On Briana’s Most Unique Deployment

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By Julia Maniccia

Photos courtesy of Briana Taylor

“We are so focused on responding and getting a job done, but that isn’t how you touch peoples’ lives. You do that by listening to them, talking to them, letting them tell their story and finding out what they need. Then you help them,” is a sentiment that has guided Briana Taylor, first by a career in psychology, and later by two decades of service with the American Red Cross.

Briana’s introduction to disaster response was happenstance. In her professional role in mental health, Briana had spent many years working to alleviate human suffering on an individual level, tending to the needs of her patients in their darkest hour. In 2004, Briana was vacationing in Phuket, Thailand with her family, briefly taking off her psychologist hat, when a tsunami took to the island’s shores. Six weeks later, her drive to alleviate suffering took flight on the community-level, as she returned to Thailand to support islanders in their recovery.

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