Tag Archives: Silicon Valley

Superwoman to the Rescue: Patti Childress’ Story 

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Trigger Warning: Graphic Surgery Descriptions 

If it’s true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, then Patti Childress must be Superwoman. The dynamic, assertive strawberry-blonde has had 40 surgeries over the past 29 years; yet, she still maintains an incredibly demanding schedule as a Blood Services account manager with the American Red Cross, where she’s responsible for getting blood drives booked and done. 

Woman standing next to blood drive sign at a Red Cross Blood Donation Center in San Jose.
Patti Childress is proud to share her health history with students and adults at the American Red Cross. She says that every day, volunteer blood and platelet donors are needed across the country to help save lives.

“Yes,” she said, “it would be a lot for anyone to do,” especially given the huge territory she is responsible for across the Northern California Coastal Region. But she is committed to encouraging, scheduling, planning, organizing, overseeing and finalizing blood drives as a way to thank all the people who were willing to donate the blood and platelets she needed to save her life. 

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Melody Yamaguchi’s lifelong service to the Red Cross mission 

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For many people, donating blood to the American Red Cross is not just a single act but a lifelong commitment to the humanitarian mission. Melody Yamaguchi is one of the super donors that has been donating blood since she was 18 years old, after getting inspired by her older sister. Through the changes and challenges in Melody’s life, she always found her way back to serving the mission of the Red Cross.  

Melody’s smile shines through a lifetime of change and challenges.

“During my cancer imaging, surgeries and radiation, my children and I were scared. All my energy went into supporting my children and finding my courage within.”

“I’m not an exceptional person, but through Red Cross blood donation, I’ve had the ability to do something extraordinary.”

–Melody Yamaguchi

Melody embraces the moment in her youth with a timeless look.
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From Classroom to Community: How a Middle School Teacher Creates a Culture of Service

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In the heart of San Jose’s Evergreen neighborhood, an inkling of inspiration began with one passionate middle school history teacher and grew into a community act of service.

Spencer Archer and two of his 8th grade students, Hadar Philosoph and Jocelyn Yan, greeted blood donors upon arrival.

On Friday, April 18, the Village Square Branch Library hosted its first American Red Cross blood drive thanks to the leadership of Spencer Archer, a 7th and 8th grade history teacher at Quimby Oak Middle School and faculty advisor for the school’s National Junior Honor Society (NJHS).

“I noticed that the Evergreen area didn’t have any local blood drives and wanted to do something about it,” Spencer shared. “I looked up how to host a blood drive and was amazed at how easy the Red Cross made it. From my initial inquiry to event day, the Red Cross team had everything ready to go.”

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Blood, Service and Sacrifice: A Major’s Lifelong Red Cross Connection

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Zahra (left) with her older sister, Crystal, enjoying the holidays circa 1993. – Photo courtesy of Zahra Moutabakkir

At just two years old, Zahra Moutabakkir was fighting for her life. Diagnosed with a mysterious autoimmune disease, she spent 12 weeks in the hospital, undergoing numerous blood transfusions as doctors struggled to save her. “My mom prayed for a miracle,” Zahra recalls, “and after weeks of uncertainty, my white blood cell count miraculously started to recover.” Those transfusions saved her life, leaving an impactful mark that would shape her future and create a lifelong bond with the American Red Cross while donning the honorable military uniform

“My connection to the Red Cross began as a child, and it’s been a constant in my life ever since,” Zahra says. “Without those blood transfusions, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve been donating blood ever since I could, knowing how important it is.”

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This One Felt Different

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A Red Cross volunteer shares what the Loma Prieta earthquake – and the hours that followed – were like from the Red Cross office in San Jose.
A Red Cross worker surveys the damage caused by the Lomo Prieta earthquake in the Santa Cruz area.

By Franci Collins, Red Cross Volunteer

I will always remember where I was at 5:04 p.m. on October 17, 1989. I had just walked into the San Jose Chapter of the Red Cross. Coincidentally, I was scheduled to teach an earthquake preparedness class that night, the first in several months as classes were often cancelled due to lack of enrollment. I wanted to get there before 5 p.m. to make sure all the equipment was available and working.

The slide projector was on a table right inside the classroom door and I had just turned it on and off when the ground started shaking. I am happy to say that my six years of training paid off, as I immediately ducked under the table and held on. The shaking seemed to go on for an extremely long time and I spent most of it imagining the slide projector being progressively shaken towards the edge of the table. I had time to decide that if it fell off, I would stay where I was and not try to save it.

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The true spirit of heroism

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Bruce Richardson and Hanna Malak, Regional CEO during the award ceremony.
Photo: Virginia & Albert Becker – American Red cross

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, a time to reflect about the critical nature of sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of life-saving training. This month, we honor the stories of those who have trained and stepped up in such critical moments.

On February 6, 2023, Bruce Richardson witnessed a man collapse in the parking lot of an auto parts shop in Los Gatos, California. Without hesitation, he sprang into action, demonstrating the true spirit of heroism.

The individual in distress, a long-term employee of the shop, was experiencing cardiac arrest. As his coworkers called 911, Bruce began performing CPR on the unresponsive man. His decisive actions were crucial in those critical moments.

Bruce worked as a national ski patrolman for 20 years. As part of his professional training, he learned CPR and advanced first aid. However, it was his determination and courage to face this life-threating situation what really sustain the man’s life until emergency responders arrived.

For this heroic and lifesaving action, Bruce received the Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action in a ceremony in San Jose.

“The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action is given to individuals like Bruce, who step up in an emergency situation and help save or sustain a life,” said Ken Toren, Executive Director for the Red Cross Silicon Valley Chapter. “He exemplifies the mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.”

Bruce Richardson’s story is an inspiring example of how training, combined with a willingness to act, can save lives.

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