Give the gift of peace during the holidays

In the middle of a fight against leukemia, 7-year-old Lincoln needed a spinal tap that would require blood, but the hospital Lincoln was being treated at didn’t have his blood type on hand.

Lincoln’s mother, Ashley Torres Cunningham, and their family stressed about where the blood Lincoln needed would come from and when it would arrive. Ashley urged friends and family to donate on her social media channels. Lincoln was eventually able to receive the blood he needed to do the spinal tap, but it was a stressful moment for the family.

“The blood and platelet shortage is a crisis I was unaware of until it was our own,” Torres Cunningham said. “There have been transfusion appointments when we are told we may not receive the transfusion of red blood cells or platelets until the following day, even though Lincoln’s body needs it sooner.”

This type of situation isn’t unique to Lincoln. Many families across Texas experience the same stress of worrying about where the blood they need will come from, especially during the busy holiday season and through winter weather when donations tend to dip.

You can help patients like Lincoln and give the gift of peace to families like his by donating this winter.