I met James Harrison through a mutual friend/colleague, Christy Newman, when discussing setup for a blood drive. Christy and I go back about 15 years (or more), and we were working to plan a blood drive at Arconic. In the process of planning, I mentioned looking for local leaders to serve on our advisory committee meeting, and she suggested James Harrison.
After that first meeting, I was so grateful to have met James. His story about donating blood and the importance of those products for his children was so compelling that I knew we had to take action at MEDIC. We began writing a grant that would provide funding for outreach specific to diverse donor populations. James and I created a presentation and have since spoken to multiple local organizations and community groups.
James and I make a great team. I will give a history of MEDIC and why donating is important for everyone. Then James begins talking about his family and how blood transfusions are key to pain management and quality of life.
I’ve learned so much from James and from our friends at the Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee. I continue to learn more about Sickle Cell Disease each week, and I feel so fortunate to be part of this effort. This isn’t just important to me as a member of the MEDIC team but as a mother of two children. I would do anything for them, and I would certainly advocate for treatment if they had a lifelong disease with no cure.
That brings me to the present day and #OneDadCan. I am a runner and a lifelong advocate for running and healthy lifestyles. When James called with the idea, I was ecstatic. I’ve been part of the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon Organizing Committee since the second year of the event. And as a disclosure, you should know that my husband is the Director of the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon.
James’s commitment to health and wellness, running the half marathon, and having a goal of 10,000 donations is so very exciting. We’re off to a good start, and I think we’ll be able to reach that goal by April 7.
James isn’t asking for money (although Sickle Cell Disease research is under-funded). He is asking for you to donate blood products now and in the future. It’s an hour of your time to donate whole blood. That one hour of your time will give a regional patient more time. Every donation extends or saves the life of a patient. Every. Single. Donation.
I’m ramping up my running mileage to be able to run the half distance close to April 7. And I’ll be at that finish line on April 7 to cheer James in. And when I do, we’ll be able to announce that he reached his goal. Join us in this adventure and help raise awareness around Sickle Cell Disease and blood donation.
