An update of life
It has been a rough couple of days. As draining as they have been, they have redeemed hope in people and miracles.
Here's the story:
Rewind back about a year and a half/two years ago.
We meet the Cross family through connections with the downtown homeless ministry. The family consists of Priscilla and her two boys, Raheem and Mileke. Priscilla is suffering with Lupus and cancer, as well as struggling to work and raise her two boys, who are now 9 and 11. A group of us decide to take this family under our wing and help them with whatever needs possible. These include giving them a Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as helping them fix up the other half of their duplex home.
Fast forward to this past Thursday.
We receive a call from a friend telling us that Priscilla is in the hospital bleeding internally. She has a rare blood type and anyone with an O blood type could possibly be a match (sidenote: the O blood type is common, but Priscilla's form of blood is what is rare). If she does not receive this blood soon, she could die and leave her two children with little, inadequate, or no care at all.
Problem.
But with every problem, there has to be a solution.
To find a solution, our small group of friends have been using as many of our resources as possible to find a match for Priscilla. We have been getting in contact with our friends, family and as many organizations as possible to encuorage people with O type blood (or any type for that matter) to go to their local blood bank and donate.
We spent the majority of Thursday night making calls, writing up e-mails, letters, whatever is necessary to find a potential match.
We learned quickly that word spreads.
All day Friday, groups were gathering to donate at the local blood bank in Grand Rapids. People were standing up in class and telling the story, and professors were willing to donate and spread the word. Elsewhere, friends and family members were donating as well. We've even had people donate who live out of state.
During my time at the blood bank, I saw friends come in and out. The receptionists and nurses asked us if we were there for Priscilla because there had been such a big response. People were asking the story behind it all and why this woman is so important.
The truth is, any human is, and should be important.
During my time giving blood, a woman approached my table and asked my two friends and myself if we were there for Priscilla.
We replied, "yes."
As soon as the words came out of our mouths, the woman started choking up and managed to get out, "I know Priscilla. Raheem and Mileke are my nephews."
Her statement was followed by a stream of tears. I put my hand on her arm, which led to more tears and I asked, "What's your name?"
"Leslie," she responded.
The three of us introduced ourselves as Leslie thanked us, and then she walked out the door.
That encounter made everything that much more worthwhile.
Later that night I found out that just by word of mouth, hundreds of people had donated, all over Michigan. That amazed me and also gave me hope and faith in humanity. Just this week, I have seen so much good in people that it has become a catalyst for me to want to do good and encourage others as well.
But this does not mean that Priscilla's story is finished with a happy ending. Since her blood match is so rare (there were only 2 pints of it in the entire US), we need as many people as possible to be donating. It doesn't matter if you are not in the Grand Rapids area, as long as you have the patient's name and hospital location and name.
If you have O positive or O negative blood, please donate! If you don't know what blood type you are, please get checked or donate anyway. No matter what, you will be saving someone's life.
If you feel compelled to donate, please go to your local blood bank ASAP!
You can tell them that the blood is for Priscilla Cross and that she is in Spectrum-Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
That would be absolutely amazing.
Remember, all hope is not lost.
Here's the story:
Rewind back about a year and a half/two years ago.
We meet the Cross family through connections with the downtown homeless ministry. The family consists of Priscilla and her two boys, Raheem and Mileke. Priscilla is suffering with Lupus and cancer, as well as struggling to work and raise her two boys, who are now 9 and 11. A group of us decide to take this family under our wing and help them with whatever needs possible. These include giving them a Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as helping them fix up the other half of their duplex home.
Fast forward to this past Thursday.
We receive a call from a friend telling us that Priscilla is in the hospital bleeding internally. She has a rare blood type and anyone with an O blood type could possibly be a match (sidenote: the O blood type is common, but Priscilla's form of blood is what is rare). If she does not receive this blood soon, she could die and leave her two children with little, inadequate, or no care at all.
Problem.
But with every problem, there has to be a solution.
To find a solution, our small group of friends have been using as many of our resources as possible to find a match for Priscilla. We have been getting in contact with our friends, family and as many organizations as possible to encuorage people with O type blood (or any type for that matter) to go to their local blood bank and donate.
We spent the majority of Thursday night making calls, writing up e-mails, letters, whatever is necessary to find a potential match.
We learned quickly that word spreads.
All day Friday, groups were gathering to donate at the local blood bank in Grand Rapids. People were standing up in class and telling the story, and professors were willing to donate and spread the word. Elsewhere, friends and family members were donating as well. We've even had people donate who live out of state.
During my time at the blood bank, I saw friends come in and out. The receptionists and nurses asked us if we were there for Priscilla because there had been such a big response. People were asking the story behind it all and why this woman is so important.
The truth is, any human is, and should be important.
During my time giving blood, a woman approached my table and asked my two friends and myself if we were there for Priscilla.
We replied, "yes."
As soon as the words came out of our mouths, the woman started choking up and managed to get out, "I know Priscilla. Raheem and Mileke are my nephews."
Her statement was followed by a stream of tears. I put my hand on her arm, which led to more tears and I asked, "What's your name?"
"Leslie," she responded.
The three of us introduced ourselves as Leslie thanked us, and then she walked out the door.
That encounter made everything that much more worthwhile.
Later that night I found out that just by word of mouth, hundreds of people had donated, all over Michigan. That amazed me and also gave me hope and faith in humanity. Just this week, I have seen so much good in people that it has become a catalyst for me to want to do good and encourage others as well.
But this does not mean that Priscilla's story is finished with a happy ending. Since her blood match is so rare (there were only 2 pints of it in the entire US), we need as many people as possible to be donating. It doesn't matter if you are not in the Grand Rapids area, as long as you have the patient's name and hospital location and name.
If you have O positive or O negative blood, please donate! If you don't know what blood type you are, please get checked or donate anyway. No matter what, you will be saving someone's life.
If you feel compelled to donate, please go to your local blood bank ASAP!
You can tell them that the blood is for Priscilla Cross and that she is in Spectrum-Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
That would be absolutely amazing.
Remember, all hope is not lost.