Without a doubt, Denis, who is always willing to help the others and look for solutions, said yes. This was the start of his altruistic work, expressing that that day, when he gave the woman the evidence of his donation, he felt relieved to help her.
-Dennis Urbina. Local Hero from PAHO Nicaragua
Denis Urbina's Testimony
Denis Urbina, a driver, is much familiarized with the process of blood donation and its importance, as he has been saving lives for 20 years. He tells us proudly his altruistic work. He said that one day he was asked to go to the Nicaraguan Red Cross to take care of some tasks and while he was completing them, a woman reached out to him to ask him a favor, telling him that her family members was in the emergency room at Bertha Calderon and she needed blood.
Without a doubt, Denis, who is always willing to help the others and look for solutions, said yes. This was the start of his altruistic work, expressing that that day, when he gave the woman the evidence of his donation, he felt relieved to help her.
Donors such as Denis, who said he donates blood twice or three times a year, are examples of citizens who dedicate their lives to save lives. He says that if he were to encounter a similar situation that took him to start being a voluntary donor, he would do it with pleasure, as he is conscientious of the necessity and wants to take the opportunity to encourage young people to do it as well.
Dr. Romero decided to take the challenge, setting a goal of becoming a donor and promoter, trying, if possible to be able to carry out this laudable job often. Based on these arguments, she did her blood donation, and also encouraged her daughter to come with her to keep her company and to do the first blood donation together.
-Maritza Romero. Local Hero from PAHO Nicaragua
Maritza Romero' Testimony
Maritza Romero, Family and community Health coordinator in PAHO Nicaragua, she is known by being cheerful and energetic. She tells us that approximately 11 years ago, she became a blood donor due to the circumstances when she was at PWR El Salvador. Dr. Romero decided to take the challenge, setting a goal of becoming a donor and promoter, trying, if possible to be able to carry out this laudable job often. Based on these arguments, she did her blood donation, and also encouraged her daughter to come with her to keep her company and to do the first blood donation together. "The seed had grown," because since that day, her daughter has continued to donate in order to help and support saving lives.
On the other hand, when she was relocated in Nicaragua, she was surprised by the fact that the country had achieved 100% in voluntary donations and taking advantage of this potential, she started promoting blood donation internally, being the first time that a PWR would start this initiative. She highlights that during this activity, something she loved was how her coworkers who could not donate blood, extended the invitation to their acquaintances, who responded positively.
Today, she has the duty of spreading the message of the importance of donating blood and she hopes to keep supporting and promoting this campaign to the best of her abilities. She thinks that if countries looked for a way to promote donation even more, it would be a channel to build a culture among young and adolescents, who are "agents" of change for the present and future.
Iris thanks God, her family and the multiple donations received when she most needed them. Thanks to these and other actions, she got her wish of seeing her daughter grown and graduated.
-Iris Soveida Padilla Local Hero from PAHO Honduras
Soveida Padilla's Testimony
Iris Soveida Padilla is originally from Honduras. At 22 years old she was diagnosed with Medullary Aplasia for which she was repeatedly subjected to multiple transfusions; donors were family members (cousins, uncles, close friends, colleagues and unknown donors) thanks to these donations, Iris has survived.
In 1987 she became pregnant and at her third month of pregnancy she has to receive three blood transfusions every 20 to 25 days; after eight months of pregnancy, her child Milagros Alexandra was born on 17 June 1988 in Houston, Texas. At that moment Iris gave birth, she received large transfusions of red blood cells and platelets. After a month of her daughter's birth Iris relapsed and had to get more transfusions. Six months her daughter was born, Iris was, once more, subjected to the treatment in Houston.
Iris thanks God, her family and the multiple donations received when she most needed them. Thanks to these and other actions, she got her wish of seeing her daughter grown and graduated.
He was asked who he wanted to donate to and he said "whoever needs it the most" and he started his donation journey.
-Gabriel Darricarte Local Hero in Uruguay
Gabriel Darricarte's Testimony
Gabriel Darricarte is 28 years old and is a general doctor. He has always felt the need to donate blood; the first time he had the opportunity to do this great act, he was at the hospital where he worked, where he was asked who he wanted to donate to and he said "whoever needs it the most" and he started his donation journey.
Gabriel and his groups of friends felt the need to do volunteer work around the country that was related to music, recreational activities, and blood donations. It is here where his alliance with the Uruguay's National Blood Service started, to promote voluntary blood donation, a crucial resource for the survival of some people.
Due to this alliance, both organizations have created and succeeded in various campaigns for blood donation in different parts of Uruguay and have been spread through different types of communication media and social media.
My children, my husband, my whole family and I, to all voluntary blood donors, we beg you, increase the number! Think about it, how vulnerable is the human being, how fragile is the gift of life! This is why we need to honor it, taking care of it . And I assure you that one of the ways, as simple as loving is DONATING BLOOD!!
-Ana María Grass. Local Hero in Uruguay
Ana María Grassi's Testimony
Since 2006, Ana Maria Grassi suffers from multiple myeloma typo III, with only 42 years of age she had to undergo a bone marrow transplantation. In that moment, Ana needed compatible blood units to recover from the surgery, but this wasn't easy to get.
Thanks to the actions made by Organización Solidaria de Donantes de Sangre No 219 de Salto, (who she is part of along with her husband) and the good will of her childhood friend, Ana could receive this huge gift which would contribute to save her life: a blood donation.
Ana wanted to spread a special message to of all us: "My children, my husband, my whole family and I, to all voluntary blood donors, we beg you, increase the number! Think about it, how vulnerable is the human being, how fragile is the gift of life! This is why we need to honor it, taking care of it . And I assure you that one of the ways, as simple as loving is DONATING BLOOD!!".
Please donate blood, it is very important, you can save someone's life; be conscientious that you must obey transit laws, but you should also be donors to help others and to be able to be helped in the future as it can happen to anyone.
-Vanessa Fariña. Local Hero in Uruguay
Vanessa Fariña' Testimony
Vanessa Fariña is 30 years old, she is a nurse and she is currently a blood donor. Some years ago, Vanessa had a motorcycle accident, and from that day, her life, her husband's and her children's life completely changed, as she had an amputation under her knee.
The first thing Vanessa needed after her accident were blood transfusions- if she didn't receive donations, she could have died from anemia that was caused by the great amount of blood she lost.
Vanessa's message is the following: "Please donate blood, it is very important, you can save someone's life; be conscientious that you must obey transit laws, but you should also be donors to help others and to be able to be helped in the future as it can happen to anyone".
It is important for us to be conscientious that this action, which takes 15 minutes, can save many lives, and that perhaps you are not needed today, but tomorrow you can be in that situation. This is why it is important to make voluntary donations regularly.
-Marina Álvarez de Maldonado. Local Hero in Uruguay
Marina Álvarez de Maldonado's Testimony
Marina Álvarez de Maldonado, Uruguay, has presented health problems throughout the years that have prevented her from donating blood and so has experienced family situations in which she has had to go out in the streets and look for donors. In this case, her family member in bad conditions needed 10 donors for many days- an amount that could not be reached even though they had a big group of people inside and outsider the assistance center.
Marina highlights that from this experience, she wants to transmit the importance of the creation of Hemocentro de Maldonado, which has allowed the improvement of resources for transfusion medicine by creating production centers taking advantage 100% of what is obtained through blood donations.
Marina, a great citizen wants to send us the following message: "It is important for us to be conscientious that this action, which takes 15 minutes, can save many lives, and that perhaps you are not needed today, but tomorrow you can be in that situation. This is why it is important to make voluntary donations regularly".
Her brother, Javier Alvarez has had many health issues and that thanks to the donations received he can give this message. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of people to donate blood so they can save a live. Thanks to all these voluntary donations Javier is alive and he feels the moral obligation to ask all of those who are in the right conditions, to donate blood to others so that they can continue living.
Sonia's decision serves as an example of altruistic and solidary attitudes which invite to be reproduced for those sensitive people who suffer for the others.
-Familia Martinez. Local Heroes in Uruguay
The Martinez family Story
The Martinez family lives in a small town of the city of San Jose in Uruguay. They decided to give their children Sonia and Christian something they wanted for a very long time: a motorcycle.
Unfortunately, during a cold winter night, when Cristian was on his way home, he had a grave accident which brought tremendous consequences including the amputation of his inferior parts of the body and the fact that he had to receive more than 100 units of blood, being the patient who received the most transfusions in the medical institution of San Jose.
Cristian's blood type was Rh-negative, which was the same as her sister Sonia's, who had never donated blood before and had no knowledge of how the process worked. However, due to her brother's accident, Sonia has donated various times, being one of the direct donors, which is historical.
Sonia's decision serves as an example of altruistic and solidary attitudes which invite to be reproduced for those sensitive people who suffer for the others. Finally, so that every story has a happy ending equal to Cristian's, who is 31 years old and continues to work, got married and has a beautiful daughter.
I can be sure that frequent blood donors, donate voluntarily and in a selfless way, and this is why it is anonymous. What motivates us is the death of those who are vulnerable, whose who are in the hospital and whose suffering cannot come to an end due to the lack of this precious liquid; we have become disciplined to take care of our health and have a life style that allows us to generate and donate the best quality blood.
-J. Rafael Hernández. Local Hero in El Salvador
J. Rafael Hernández's Testimony
Greetings donor friends, continue with this cause!
J. Rafael Hernandez from El Salvador tells us that in 1981, due to a strong conflict that happened in El Salvador which led to many injured needing medical assistance including blood transfusions, the International Red Cross established its blood center in this country.
Since that moment, Rafael has had the privilege of being the blood donor No. 157; doing many of the donations in an anonymous way, and without knowledge of who the receivers are. Rafael really trusts the job the Red Cross does and how it distributes blood to those in need, those who could need it, mothers with labor complications, newborns, elderly, people diseased and injured for various reasons, and even victims from violence that citizens suffer day to day.
Rafael wanted to send a special message to the general population: "I can be sure that frequent blood donors, donate voluntarily and in a selfless way, and this is why it is anonymous. What motivates us is the death of those who are vulnerable, whose who are in the hospital and whose suffering cannot come to an end due to the lack of this precious liquid; we have become disciplined to take care of our health and have a life style that allows us to generate and donate the best quality blood.
I feel rewarded and fully satisfied for bringing life and helping others living longer.
-Antonio Vidal. Local Hero in the United States
Antonio Vidal, married to a PAHO staff, Maria Luz Pombo.
In the past Antonio used to be skeptical about donating blood, and would mention the negative health effects of blood donations. But when he found out that there was a great demand for his blood type (B negative), of which he learned in a routine test, he became aware of the importance of giving life through a couple of drops of blood.
Antonio started donating during his years in college, back in Venezuela and continues in the United States of America, having enrolled himself at the PAHO blood drive last year. His donation has helped to save the life of three different people, including a child at the Children Hospital in Washington, DC.
"I feel rewarded and fully satisfied for bringing life and helping others living longer," said Antonio.
I feel comfortable giving a little bit part of me, I welcome the recognition I receive from those who know that I am a volunteer donor. They see me as a hero for helping to save other people's lives. Donating blood is priceless, and no matter the economic or social condition of the ones who offers it, I have witnessed this.
-Julio Cesar Marchante. Local Hero in Cuba
Julio Cesar Marchante's Testimony
Julio Cesar Marchante is a plasma donor, used in the production of specific gamma for the pharmaceutical industry. Being a donor, s make him very proud because he knows the importance of medicinal products derived from donated plasma, he does with lots of love and without expecting anything in return.
Julio says "I feel comfortable giving a little bit part of me, I welcome the recognition I receive from those who know that I am a volunteer donor. They see me as a hero for helping to save other people's lives. Donating blood is priceless, and no matter the economic or social condition of the ones who offers it, I have witnessed this".
I once again appeal to you today, yes you, and especially young people, give yourself up as a blood donor. Your blood is also needed. I am already familiar with all talk about 'I do not have enough blood' or 'it is a big needle and it hurts'. Each healthy human being has more than enough blood to donate frequently.
-Julio Cesar Marchante. Local Hero in Suriname
Daniels Mitchel's Testimony
About 6 years ago, Daniels Mitchel decided to become a blood donor. What drove him to do this is his work as a medical analyst (back then as a trainee), He could truly see that there was and is, an enormous shortage of blood, and how much blood was and is still needed by the various hospitals.
On July 8, 2008, He donated his first sack of blood. And yes, He was happy and guess what, He still happy today! , He have been able to give his 30th blood donation and it still feels gooooddd!!! It gives him a truly good feeling because He knows that with 1 donation He can help save at least 3 human lives.
Daniels have a message for all of us : "I once again appeal to you today, yes you, and especially young people, give yourself up as a blood donor. Your blood is also needed. I am already familiar with all talk about 'I do not have enough blood' or 'it is a big needle and it hurts'. Each healthy human being has more than enough blood to donate frequently".