Savannah Creighton’s daughter, Wheeler unexpectedly passed away at the age of five years old in October 2021, after having surgery for an eye ailment.
This was devastating news, and Savannah wanted Wheeler’s legacy to live on. Savannah says, Wheeler’s cartilage and tissue went to approximately a dozen different states to help others. In addition, through a corneal transplant, a young man in his 30s was able to regain his eyesight.
Savannah had donated blood once before, but decided she was going to start donating regularly, after seeing the positive impact her daughter’s life was making on others and knowing how donated blood can make a big difference to those who need it.
“I give blood to help others. Just the fact that you get to help people and save lives is the reason to give blood. You never know, it could be your child or you who needs it.” -Savannah Creighton
Savannah has O negative blood, the most common blood type used for transfusions when the blood type is unknown. She uses the Red Cross Blood Donor App to make her appointments.
“I love the fact that you get to see where your blood goes in the app,” she said. “Just knowing you helped someone is really exciting and makes you feel good. I absolutely will continue donating blood.”
Thank you, Savannah for giving blood! Visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.
Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen
Supplying 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply, the American Red Cross consistently emphasizes the importance of giving blood and its lifesaving abilities. It’s something an Oak Park couple who both work in the medical field and regularly donate blood, not only know to be true, but it’s also a part of their love story.
“My wife, Katie, and I met at Loyola University Medical Center working in the blood bank,” said Dennis Arocena. “We started on the same day and went to the same new employee orientation. We even had sequential tech code numbers assigned from our lab’s information system. I can’t think of any other techs in our blood bank that have sequential tech codes so it’s pretty fun that the only ones to have them ended up getting married.”
For both Dennis and Katie Arocena, their interest in working for a blood bank comes from wanting a career that allows them to help people every day.
“To me, the blood bank is the lab department where one can most directly help patients,” Katie said. “Yes, it’s very stressful and it’s a lot of pressure because someone’s life is on the line, but I thrive in that environment. I really found what I could do to help people from the lab perspective.”
Working in a hospital blood bank, the Arocenas coordinate receiving blood products from the Red Cross, manage their hospital’s available supply, and ensue the blood products go to matching patients in need of transfusion.
“The blood bank is regulated by the FDA, so we’re basically a pharmacy and blood is considered the drug, and we are the dispensers of this,” Dennis said. “We have a lot of cancer patients, sickle cell patients, and patients who have been transfused many times and therefore can develop many antibodies. Then we must coordinate with our local American Red Cross reference lab to order and get specialized blood to our facility to try and transfuse the patients.”
Dennis continues to work in the blood bank at Loyola, while Katie is now the blood bank supervisor at another area hospital. Though they no longer work together, it’s still a common topic of conversation at home.
And because they know the importance of blood, they make it a priority to donate together. Through the Red Cross, Katie has donated 30 whole blood units, while Dennis has donated 130 units of whole blood, platelets, and plasma.
“We try to bring more awareness to the importance of giving blood,” Katie said. “It’s not just victims of car accidents who need blood. It’s a grandma who has cancer or someone who has a baby. There are a lot of different reasons why someone might need blood, and there is no other substitute.”
One of their favorite parts of donating is tracking where their blood ends up on the Red Cross Donor app. Katie says her blood has ended up as far away as California, Texas and Florida.
“Since my blood type is O positive and can be given to almost anybody, my blood can go a lot of places and being able to have that conclusion to your donating experience is really cool,” Katie said. “Your unit might be the unit that saves someone’s life.”
Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 800-RED CROSS to make an appointment to give blood. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Thank you for rolling up a sleeve!
Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Mara Thompson
Chadd Boland of Peoria is a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Specialist for the Illinois Army National Guard, 444th Chemical Company. Chadd first gave blood in 2016 during Basic Combat Training. At the time, he admits he was not too excited about the idea, but a little convincing got him there.
Toward the end of the training, his company was offered the chance to donate blood in lieu of physical training that day. Chadd was hesitant about needles but says, the offer, which included snacks he’d not been able to enjoy for several months, was too good to pass up. “I’m quite sure my entire company donated after that,” he says.
Before Chadd graduated, his drill sergeants handed out thank you cards from hospitals that received the donated blood. He says, “It felt great to help. From then on, I decided to donate every chance I get.”
Chadd learned during his first donation he has O+ blood, which is given to patients more than any other blood type and considered the most needed blood type.
He understands why people might get nervous before donating blood, but says, it’s worth it, and a chance to do some good. Plus, he adds, you may end up being the person who needs blood someday.
“It’s definitely helpful. I got into an accident once and broke my leg. I can’t imagine how many bags of blood they needed for me. I definitely want to give back what I took, especially if my blood goes to someone who desperately needs it.” -Chadd Boland
Chadd still regularly donates blood. He is a Power Red donor and says, “I always do Power Red because I like to donate a little more. I’m trying to help out however I can.” He has donated 13 units of blood so far, with no plans of stopping.
Thank you, Chadd for being a volunteer blood donor! Visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment to donate blood at a location near you.
Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen
Getting involved helped Allyson Gillette get some help for college.
Allyson was looking for volunteer opportunities and decided to host an American Red Cross blood drive in Chillicothe, Illinois last December. She earned a $1,000 scholarship as a result of her lifesaving efforts.
As part of the Red Cross Leaders Save Lives program, the senior at Illinois Valley Central helped collect 33 blood donations. Allyson was entered into a drawing for a scholarship and was chosen as a winner.
The continual need for blood donations inspired Allyson to host the blood drive.
“I would absolutely encourage any student to host a blood drive. This experience was very rewarding and there is truly no greater feeling than knowing you are saving lives.” -Allyson Gillette
Allyson is set to graduate high school in May 2023. She plans to attend college and major in nursing.
“I was very excited to be informed that my blood drive was selected as one of the scholarship winners,” Allyson said. “I am very thankful to the American Red Cross for the opportunity to host a blood drive and be rewarded with the scholarship!”
The Leaders Save Lives program encourages community-minded high school and college students to host blood drives to help maintain the blood supply for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions.
Students can sign up to host blood drives and potentially qualify to earn a scholarship during seasonal timeframes throughout the year. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/LeadersSaveLives for more information.
Here is how the program works:
– Sign up to host a blood drive while school is out of session. – Form a recruitment committee to help make your blood drive a success. – Recruit your friends, family and the community to donate at your blood drive. – Collect 25 pints or more at your blood drive and you will earn a gift card and be entered to win a scholarship!
Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 800-RED CROSS to make an appointment. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Thank you for rolling up a sleeve!
Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen
“Six children, 13 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren—that’s the legacy we would have missed out on had my mother not received blood when I was born.”
It was 1964 and Penny’s mother was facing a difficult childbirth and hemorrhaging which required 9 units of blood. Penny’s father was charged with replacing those units of blood his wife received so that the hospital had inventory for the next patient in need. “My father instantly rallied 27 family and friends to come forth and donate blood – ever since that day, my family became a family of blood donors.”
Penny grew up hearing the story of her birth and how she could have been deprived of growing up without her mother and subsequent younger brothers had donors not come forth. “My entire life, I’ve heard how donated blood saved my mother’s life. As soon as I was old enough, I started donating blood and haven’t stopped since. Donating blood is such an easy way to help people – so much easier than running a marathon and you’re saving and impacting lives and legacies!”
“When I see my mother surrounded by her children and 38 offspring, I can’t help but get emotional. My mother’s story could have easily not turned out the way it did, and we would have missed out on so much love and so many memories. I would not have the family I grew up with, she would have never had the chance to teach me how to cook and bake, play jacks and Yahtzee, or patch a bicycle tire because she would have died at the age of 24.”
Penny’s mother pictured with her great-great-grandson.
Penny, a Power Red blood donor who enjoys long walks with her husky, Bella, has an extensive career in building and testing clinical trial databases, “In my job, I work with medical treatment results and the impact those results have on patients. Blood donation not only impacts the person in need but the entire trajectory of a family’s story. I remain committed to honoring my mother by being a blood donor and telling my story as many times as needed to motivate others to save lives by donating blood.”
Every day, the Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood donations to help support accident victims, surgery patients, organ transplant patients, those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease, and emergency obstetric care. There is no substitute for donated blood products.
Written by Illinois Communications Manager Connie Esparza
“Sickle cell disease is the best thing that happened to me — I know people are shocked when I say that. Even though I wouldn’t wish this disease and its complications on anyone, I discovered my life purpose in dealing with my pain. I’ve set out to ensure that current and future sickle cell patients do not have to live with the hardships and misunderstanding of living with this disease alone and that understanding what blood donations do for my fellow sickle cell warriors is more widespread.”
Northern Illinois University Ph.D. candidate, Ronisha Edwards-Elliott is a Sickle Cell Disease Professional Patient Advocate and Pediatric Sickle Cell Program Developer with the University of Illinois in Chicago (UIC). At one point, determined to be a doctor, Ronisha realized that you don’t have to be a medical doctor to impact the lives of sickle cell disease patients, “With my studies, I set out to research and understand the barriers of treatment and the burden of care for sickle cell disease patients. That led me to my sickle cell career and assisting with the formation of pediatric to adult group care programs. These group care programs help young people transition from pediatric to adult care which is a high-risk mortality time for patients because they are taking ownership of their care.”
Continues Ronisha, “The caregiver who may have been making sure that prescriptions are filled and taken and that made sure doctor’s appointments were met is no longer. Teaching young adults that their well-being and care are now in their hands is one of the most gratifying things I get to do in my role. I didn’t handle the transition from child to adult care very well and now I get to make sure others don’t make the same mistakes I did.”
Ronisha managed sickle cell disease during her youth mainly with just the care of her immediate family. Friends and teachers never knew that Ronisha managed her days through the pain and would claim to be on vacation when in fact she had been in the hospital managing a pain crisis.
“A combination of things led me to not share my condition with anyone until just 10 years ago. Lack of awareness and support from doctors and teachers, to just being a young person who didn’t want to be hindered from doing things or get singled out — I dealt with it quietly and not always well. My hope is that I can be that resource for other sickle cell patients so they don’t feel misunderstood and unsupported.”
Among her many goals, Ronisha is a steadfast advocate that encourages blood donors from diverse groups even though she has been unable to receive blood to manage her own pain. “There have been instances where I have wished for blood transfusions. Unfortunately, they are not a part of my treatment regimen due to the risk of iron overload but, if my life was ever in jeopardy, I too would be dependent upon a blood transfusion despite what those risks may be for me specifically. My fellow sickle cell warriors’ lives depend on donated blood and it pains me to see the lack of blood donors from minority communities. I can attest to what donated blood does for a sickle cell patient especially if that blood comes from a blood donor whose ethnicity matches that of the patient. We need our Black and Brown communities to be blood donors in larger numbers.”
Ronisha greets each day as another chance to not have sickle disease define her. Instead, Ronisha endeavors to stand firm for and with fellow sickle cell warriors by way of the work she counts herself lucky to do every day. She encourages Black and Brown communities to give the gift of life by donating blood. “Blood donations are a matter of life or death for sickle cell patients like me and so many others living with a chronic illness.”
Blood transfusions are a treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and diverse donors play a big part in helping those with this genetic blood disease. The Red Cross encourages people of all races and ethnicities to donate blood to help ensure the right blood product is available for those in need.
Eligible individuals are encouraged to schedule a blood or platelet donation appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800- RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).
Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager, Connie Esparza
“When I first applied here, I didn’t really understand what the Red Cross was. I found that after working here for a few years, this is where I would prefer to spend the rest of my career.” -Tesha Moore
Tesha Moore started working for the American Red Cross at the age of 19. She is a collections team supervisor in the Illinois region, who regularly travels to different blood drive locations. We caught up with her at the blood and platelet donation center in Bloomington.
“I enjoy traveling and actually, prefer to travel,” Tesha said. “I like meeting new people all the time; being able to be supportive and communicate with our donors and build relationships with them is nice.”
As part of her role, Tesha gets to speak with donors as they arrive at the blood drives. Sometimes, donors are a little hesitant. Tesha reassures them, and says she enjoys the interactions with donors.
“I really enjoy seeing people I got to meet come back and become repeat donors, especially young people,” Tesha said. “We need the younger generation to donate. I like going to a high school blood drive and then seeing the students coming out in the future to donate blood.”
Tesha encourages everyone to give blood. Her role with the Red Cross has given her a firsthand look at the importance of donating blood, and she is a strong advocate for rolling up a sleeve.
“I always think about it like, ‘What if my family member had to go to the hospital and needed blood and there wasn’t any available?’ You just don’t know what your day-to-day life holds, and you could be the one who needs blood one day. So, it’s really just a simple task we can do as humans to donate blood – especially, because only three percent of the community donates.” -Tesha Moore
Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Tesha! Visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment – you just might see Tesha while you’re there.
Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen
On Sunday, hundreds of community members in Wilmette, Illinois rolled up their sleeves to help save lives in memory of one of their own. Kevin Joseph Smith Burke passed away from a rare heart condition in 2017 at 23-years-old.
“Kevin was our one big kid, he was a big risk taker, he loved to do crazy stuff and was very social,” his mother, Kathryn Smith said. “He absolutely loved people. He didn’t care how old you were, what race, or anything, he had friends all over the place. He was just one of those really fun kids.”
Kevin grew up in Wilmette attending St. Francis Xavier for elementary and middle school, which is where the blood drive was held. Following high school, Kevin developed the travel bug and moved to South Africa for several months, and then went on to become a successful triathlete, often placing in the top during competitions and was attending Loyola University at the time of his death.
After his passing, family friend Jeff Later approached them about hosting the blood drive he had started two years prior in Kevin’s honor. The drive went from collecting less than 100 units of blood, to now more than 300 units.
“It’s just great to see all these people here,” Kevin’s father, Kevin Burke said. “I always gave blood, but didn’t always understand the importance of it, but my line to everyone that comes in here is that you can save three lives.”
Many of Kevin’s friends and family members come from all over the city to give blood at this blood drive each year. While his family said Kevin would have loved to know everyone is showing up to support, he wouldn’t have necessarily been the first person to roll up a sleeve.
“He would have been scared of the needles,” Kevin Burke said. “He was this big, strong athlete, but small things like spiders and bugs freaked him out.”
His family couldn’t help but tear up when asked about what the wonderful turnout means to them, but say they are just trying to take something very tragic and turn it into something good.
“It’s not just about my son, it’s about saving people,” Kevin Burke said.
If you’re interested in hosting a blood drive of your own, would like to schedule an appointment to donate blood or volunteer at a blood drive, please visit redcrossblood.org.
Ashley Morgan was 3.5 months old when she was diagnosed with sickle cell disease and received her first lifesaving blood transfusion when she was 5.5 months old. Hundreds of transfusions later and crises that have necessitated having to relearn how to walk amongst other everyday activities, Ashley remains hopeful that one day, sickle cell awareness will be broader and support for her and her fellow warriors will be more widespread.
“We [sickle cell warriors] live with pain, pain so excruciating that it sends us into crisis. Crises brought on by simple acts of everyday living like season changes, weather, and enjoying what we like to do. And these crises last days—sometimes weeks. My wish is that one day our advocates’ voices will be louder, stronger, and larger in number. That those voices will be so loud that everyone will hear our plea for continued blood donations. I’ve survived because of the hundreds of transfusions I’ve received in my lifetime and like me, there are thousands more sickle cell warriors who count on that blood supply to help ease the pain.”
Despite the incredible challenges she has faced over her lifespan, Ashley smiles and relishes in the warmth of her circle of friends and family who support her daily. “I am so blessed to count on family and friends who are there for me every step of the way and show up when I can’t leave my bed, but so many sickle cell warriors are forging on in quiet. We need to be there for each other. Understand the disease. Understand what helps us through it and that in a very large way, the gift of donated blood makes such a difference in our lives.”
One in 3 African American blood donors are a match for people with sickle cell disease. To help ensure patients have the blood products they need, the American Red Cross is working with partners in the Black community to grow the number of blood donors who are Black. The blood that runs through our veins can ease the suffering of others — and patients battling sickle cell disease need your help now. Please schedule a blood donation appointment today by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
“I am working on continuing to stand strong in my faith and being well enough to host blood drives. In the meantime, I implore my Black community to donate blood. For me, the generosity of blood donors has allowed me to live almost since birth, and, like me, there are thousands who need the kindness and love of blood donors.”
Written by Illinois Communications Manager Connie Esparza
Doug Harrison of Peoria has volunteered for the American Red Cross as a Blood Transportation Specialist for the past 15 years.
As a Transportation Specialist volunteer, Doug is the critical link between blood donors and blood recipients by delivering blood, platelets or other blood products to hospitals.
“This is a lifesaving job,” he says.
Formerly a printing press operator, Doug decided to start volunteering when his full-time job was eliminated. On average, he is called to deliver blood products two or three times a week – it’s a call he is always happy to take.
Doug also volunteers at blood drives and says, he just likes being able to do something for other people.
“I enjoy it. I’m giving back to the community; that there, in itself, makes me feel good.” -Doug Harrison
American Red Cross of Illinois 