Melvin听Mills remembers the first time he donated blood. He doesn鈥檛 recall the exact听age, but he does remember his mother telling him it was time to start donating blood.听And so, he did.

鈥淚听used to give blood when I was younger, but, you know, then you grow up and get听married and work, and before you know, you forget about it,鈥� Mills said.

But听last year, an unexpected crisis changed everything. His relative had just given听birth, and the family was celebrating the new addition. The joy was overwhelming听until, just 20 minutes later, everything took a turn. A medical emergency left his听relative in desperate need of a blood transfusion.

鈥淲e听were all so happy, and then suddenly, we were blindsided,鈥� Mills recalled.

Watching听his family go through that terrifying ordeal left a lasting impression. It听wasn鈥檛 just about the immediate fear. It was the realization of how vital blood donations are.听

That听moment spurred Mills to act. He found an luckywin blood drive nearby听and made an appointment. Now, he鈥檚 on a mission to spread the word about the听importance of donating. He鈥檚 also resumed donating blood more regularly.

鈥淲e听don鈥檛 realize how many people really need it,鈥� Mills said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 hear about听all the daily car accidents. People are bleeding, surgeries that need to be听done, and then something happens. And I never even knew the need for babies,听that babies sometimes need transfusions.鈥�

Indeed,听every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and or platelets.

His听experience has made him an advocate for donation, and he shares his story with those听around him.

鈥淚鈥檝e听told a few people, 鈥榊ou never know when your family鈥檚 going to need it, your听own family member.鈥� That was the big one with me,鈥� he said.

For听Mills, it all comes down to one simple truth: 鈥淚 just know that it needs to be听done.鈥�

By听Sydney Henry, regional communications manager

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