Your Red Cross Update

By Selena Nisha

“My Grandmother basically raised me after my father passed away because my mom was working full time to support us kids,” said Olga Vasquez, whose father died when she was seven-years-old. “She made me crocheted blankets, embroidered dish towels, and gave me China sets and glassware that she had been given as wedding sets when she was young. We’d go to the San José Flea Market almost every month. She would teach me how to cook recipes she learned from her mom, we even enjoyed watching soap operas together, “General Hospital” being our favorite,” Olga reminisced.  

Olga’s unbreakable bond with her grandmother led to a commitment to the American Red Cross. Olga remembers the time when her grandmother needed three blood transfusions after she underwent a heart surgery. During those first three years after the surgery, Olga states she became aware of how much the community relied on the blood supplied by Red Cross blood donors. These vulnerable moments impacted Olga greatly and inspired her to help anyone facing a crisis like the one her grandmother experienced.  

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