The Martin Family

 

The American Red Cross was there for the Martins in more ways than one. Our volunteers were at their home as it was burning. They arranged for food, shelter, clothing and other emergency needs. The Martins were in need of more help, so the Red Cross, through the Service to Armed Forces program, arranged for the Martins’ son, serving in the U.S. Army, to come home.

Laps for Life

Buddy Blood drop and the American flag decorate the front of the Charlotte Motor Speedway before the Laps for Life blood drive.

Hundreds of people came out to give the Gift of Life on Sept. 7 for the “LAPS FOR LIFE” blood drive in honor of the 11^th anniversary of 9/11.  Thanks to the generosity of racing enthusiasts and Charlotte Motor Speedway, the American Red Cross collected 373 units of lifesaving blood, more than a hundred units over last year’s total.  The annual speedway drive continues to make huge growth and help save more lives each year.  In 2011, the drove collected 255 pints, and two years ago, 96 units of blood were collected.

Sheila Richardson, of Mooresville, donated blood in honor of her 9-year-old daughter, who she credits being alive today because of the lifesaving blood transfusions she received as a baby. 

 “If so many generous people hadn’t donated blood when my daughter needed it, she would not have survived,” said Sheila Richardson.  “It’s the least I can do to be able to do the same for someone else.”

The event kicked off with a special and emotional opening ceremony, remembering the victims and first responders of 9/11.  Local first responders were also honored throughout the day.

People who could not attend the 9/11 blood drive can call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org to schedule a lifesaving appointment.

The Red Cross Carolinas Blood Services Region provides lifesaving blood to 103 hospitals and must have 1,600 people give blood and platelets each weekday to meet hospital demand. Accident victims as well as patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, blood disorders and other illnesses receive lifesaving transfusions every day. There is no substitute for blood and volunteer donors are the only source.

Blood can be safely donated every 56 days. Platelets can be safely given every two weeks, up to 24 times a year. Most healthy people age 17 and older, 16 with parental consent, who weigh at least 110 pounds, are eligible to donate blood and platelets. Donors who are 18 and younger must also meet specific height and weight requirements.

“There is no better feeling”

What should have been a typical Friday night for the Elwood family quickly turned into a scary one when their Hickory home caught fire.

Volunteers from the Catawba Valley Chapter, American Red Cross, quickly arrived on scene and provided immediate support to the Elwoods.

“They didn’t know where to turn or have any idea what they needed to do,” said Mike Townsend, the Red Cross caseworker working with the Elwoods. “The three children were sent to a neighbor’s house, and the parents kept going back and forth making sure they were OK.”

Comfort kits, which have basic toiletries, to were givent to Amaro Elwood and his wife for the entire family. The children received stuffed animals. The Red Cross provided support for food, shelter and clothing for the family.

“While I was at the counter taking care of the hotel bill, the children walked up behind me with their Mickey Mouse in hand and hugged me,” Mike recalled. 

“We never realized everything the Red Cross does,” Amaro said. ”You have no idea what your support and assistance means to us.”

Each of the Elwoods hugged Mike one last time before he left. Later, Amaro texted Mike, saying

 ”You are all amazing. As soon as we are back on our feet we are looking forward to hopefully do some volunteering ourselves.”

“This to me is what it’s all about, and why we all do what we do to help people,” Mike said. “There is no better feeling or thanks that can be given than to see the appreciation and thankfulness from the families we serve.”

Kayla, Tristan and Braedon Elwood embrace their Red Cross Mickey Mouse toys while in the hotel after their home caught fire.

“The Red Cross took care of us”

Written by Red Cross volunteer Timothy Lind

Delores Thompson (right) and her mother, Sandra, lost their Charlotte-area home in a fire.

After a fire destroyed Delores Thompson’s home in Charlotte, she learned firsthand that the Red Cross is about more than national disasters and blood; it’s about restoring lives, one family at a time.

Delores had been watching the 2012 Olympics and preparing a meal in the kitchen for her son, Jeremy, when her dogs began scratching at the door to go outside. Delores’ mother, Sandra, was returning to her upstairs bedroom when she heard a noise that “sounded like those sparklers, pssssssrrrrrrr, pssssssrrrrrr, like little fireworks were going off.” 

When Sandra got to her bedroom, she found herself in a circle of fire.

Back in the kitchen, Delores didn’t think anything was  wrong.  “The alarm didn’t go off. My dogs’ barking is my alarm system.  I just thought they were scratching because they needed to go out.” 

Still, she had an inkling she should check on her mother. 

“When I went around the corner there was a big ball of smoke coming at me.”  She quickly got her family outside to safety.

You often hear about the dramatic power of fire. Delores said, “As soon as we closed the door the flames went up. Within 30 minutes, everything was destroyed.  We went from having – to not having.”

The fire engines arrived, and the police, and with them the question if the Thompsons had anywhere that they could stay.

That’s when a call to the Red Cross was made.

“I always thought the Red Cross was about blood and plasma, and about big disasters.  Well, it opened my eyes.  This was a disaster to us.  I thought it was remarkable the way the Red Cross took care of us.” 

The Red Cross arranged temporary shelter for the Thompson family and provided them with the food and clothing they needed. “They called the pharmacy and doctor’s office for us, and then checked back with us to make sure that we were able to get all of our medicines.”

When I visited the Thompsons in their temporary home, they were very welcoming and seem relaxed. While their damaged home is cleaned and rebuilt, they continue to have conversations with their insurance company. They’re eager to return home but there’s still much work to be done. 

Sleep doesn’t come easily or restfully for the Thompsons; they’ve been uprooted from home, and any unusual noises alarm them.  Best case, the family will be back in their home in two to three months. The dogs, who are staying with relatives for now, will be back together with the family then, too.

Despite their hardships and fears, the Thompsons’ spirits are in good shape. 

“Everyone brought so much love, so much care with them,” said Delores.

Thanks to the Red Cross, this community takes care of its own and good will prevails.   And hopefully, when the dogs are restless in the future, it’ll just be to tell anyone listening that they need to go out.

A place to lay your head

 

Mattress Source donated nearly 100 air mattresses and air pumps to the American Red Cross.

 

Mattress Source in Charlotte today donated nearly 100 air mattresses and almost as many hand pumps to the American Red Cross.

“These will be extremely meaningful for people who have lost their homes in a fire or other disaster,” said Rick Schou, emergency services director for the local Red Cross.

John Arbenz, from Mattress Source, and Rick Schou of the American Red Cross load air mattresses.

Emma Grace celebrates her “rebirthday”

Emma Grace (bottom, left) poses with her brother, parents and local American Red Cross CEO Angela A. Broome in front of the Bloodmobile at the Charlotte Knights game.

At age 10, Emma Grace Barnes, of Fort Mill, S.C., is not your typical blood drive sponsor. She’s a spunky fifth-grader at Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy, and she dances at Miller Street Dance Academy.

In July 2011, Emma Grace became very sick. She was diagnosed with AVM (arteriovenous malformation) in her brain, causing her brain to bleed. Doctors had to perform a craniotomy on Emma Grace. She also underwent radiation treatments and had to receive blood transfusions.

Many with AVM do not survive. Those who do, call their survival date a “rebirthday.” Emma Grace realized how thankful she was to receive blood, and it helped save her life. She decided to host a blood drive at her dance school, which has been an integral part of her recovery—physically, mentally and socially. Never doing anything half-way, Emma Grace’s first blood drive was a big success, surpassing her goal of 25 units, and collecting 27 pints of blood!

“When people donate blood you can know for a fact that you did something good for another person who really needed it,” said Emma Grace.

“Emma Grace has faced each step with courage and determination. I am so proud of her,” said Emma Grace’s Mom Emme Barnes. “As a parent of a child who needed the blood when we were in crisis mode helping her recover from such an invasive surgery, it was comforting to know that someone’s selfless act of donating blood made such a huge difference. It was one less thing to worry about in the hospital so we are truly grateful.”

Emma Grace now wants to host a blood drive at her dance studio every July to celebrate her “rebirthday.”

Give blood now

When the gift of life gives back

The following was written by Mike Boyd, who works inAmerican Red Cross blood donor recruitment:

As I reflect back over the last year, I am so thankful for many blessings.

One blessing I want to share is the birth of my granddaughter. One year ago, my daughter went into labor with her first child, and things were going very smoothly until she was getting ready to start pushing.

I left the birthing room and went to the waiting room. As I was sitting there with all kinds of dreams about my future with my first grandchild, my wife came into the waiting room with a very worried look on her face. We heard that there was an emergency in obstetrics, and we saw staff running in from everywhere.

Mike Boyd enjoys some cuddle time with his granddaughter.

We waited for more than an hour, and finally asked someone to check on our daughter. They told us that our daughter was in recovery and we could not see her until she wakes up. At that point, my wife and I were scared to death. We tried not to lose control.

Then, our son-in-law showed up with our granddaughter, and my wife and I both cried at the sight of her.

Our son-in-law told us that our daughter “crashed” during delivery and they had to do an emergency cesarean section. He told her that we would have to wait to see our daughter, but we could hold our grandbaby. So we did.

I was the first person to rock her to sleep, singing “You Are My Sunshine” over and over.

She was so precious, so beautiful, and so very small.

Later, the nurses told us we could go see our daughter. When we walked into the recovery room, my daughter said, “Thank you, Daddy. You saved my life, and now your grandbaby will know her mother. I know now why you love your job.”

That’s when I saw a unit of American Red Cross blood hanging beside her bed, being transfused, and I couldn’t help but cry again.