Just ONE extra person........

So now that this ball is rolling and there is no turning back and I have to absolutely make this drive the best it can be - my stomach is churning and I started getting 'freaky' about it being successful.  What if only a few people turn up?  What if half the people that committed, back out.  What if people just don't get it and .............well, it flops?  So many what if's.  Most of them coming in the late night hours.

 I shared this thought and worry with one very special lady, Lea.  And her answer opened my eyes......... "One extra person saved my life", she said.  Think about it.  

ONE extra person saved Lea's life;  

ONE extra person saved Shane's life;  

ONE  extra person saved Trey's life; 

ONE extra person gave Adrian long enough time to make a very real difference in so many lives; to mention just a few...

  

Just one extra person has saved, helped and lengthened lives all over the world.  Just one.......... 

What an absolutely awesome concept!  In today's world, so often I feel helpless, incapable of really making a difference - I mean a real difference.  It's not easy to raise funds, to raise awareness, to keep on talking about cancer when so many days I just want to bury it deep and forget that even the word exists!  It's not easy to convince people that getting on the marrow Registry and even being a donor is not the terrible torture that just the thought brings to mind.  None of it comes easily or naturally to me.  But Lea's words today, her reality, her life - all made possible by one single person....... wow.   This really lit me up and put it all back in perspective.  Of course I knew this before - but put so simply - well, that really made it sing.  Thanks Lea!

Simply put, I am in awe of all donors and my aim is to add one donor at a time to that registry.  Just one.  I guess it's like losing weight - one pound at a time.

This is how you can help.  I need your photos.  I need photographs that I can print out and hang on the windows and walls where the donor drive is being held.  It's inside a lovely ice cream parlor that has plenty tables and chairs to sit at and look at the wall and window space that we plan to fill with pictures of those needing blood, needing donors, going through transplant, been through transplant, and of course, the donors and the families affected by every aspect of this!  So, if you would like to make this drive more personal, more real - please send me your photos!  Make them family pics, single pics, hospital pics - any photos will help to show others just how this affects everyone dealing with this disease.  Send big files so that I can print them 8 x 10 size and send to: livingwithcml@yahoo.com.  I would really appreciate any and all photos.

One of our customers has a grandson, Hunter, going to transplant at Vanderbilt next week.  This little 12 year old has Aplastic Anemia and he has needed lots of blood to keep him alive over the past years.  Now it has come to the point where that is not working any more and he needs to get a transplant.  He has a donor, but his story made me realize just how important it is to be a blood donor too.  Another really easy way to help keep someone alive and another way to make a real difference in someone's life.

Remember - it takes only ONE extra person to make an enormous difference in many people's lives.  A whole community is affected by the help of one donor.  Talk to one more person, teach one more person.

Just ONE extra person.  I know just how much that one extra person will count if Steven ever needs to go to transplant..... There is no indication of this at all at this point, but I am always aware that everything could change in the blink of a test result.   This reminds me - the 'elephant' arrived yesterday morning - that's the PCR kit that will have it's tubes filled tomorrow and sent off for another view of where this disease is in Steven.  I have to say that he looks great, sounds great and is looking forward to a week on the Florida coast.  Lucky bugger! :) 

And here is the link to an article that was in our local paper today - look at page 6.

http://community2.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/08/soddy-daisy---october-8-2008/

love and light

Annie