 |
|
|
||
|
 |
Bob Linz's Story
Bob Linz was diagnosed with a very rare blood disease called chronic aplastic anemia in the spring of 2007. He needed weekly transfusions because his platelet count would drop so low that he could bleed to death from a simple cut or a bruise that wouldn’t heal. One day while lying in the hospital bed during a transfusion, Bob had an epiphany that somebody he’d never met had donated blood so that he could live. “That got my attention,” says Bob. “That’s how I got involved with the Blood Center.” Bob says that his research uncovered many facts that most people don’t know about blood donation. He learned that when you give a pint of whole blood, that blood is broken down into the three parts – platelets, red blood cells and plasma. So theoretically, every time he gave a pint of blood, he was helping to save three lives. When Bob speaks to other blood donors he always thanks them because he doesn’t think they really understand the profound value of their donation. Bob does; he’s standing there talking to them because somebody gave blood. “I get to live because someone I didn’t know cared enough to donate blood,” added Bob. “Today I take a greater delight in riding my motorcycle, being with my family, and just enjoying a rich, full life. There’s an edge to life that I didn’t have before I almost died. It really pulls you into the moment and makes you much more grateful and alive.” |
||
|
|
|
“I had this epiphany that someone I’d never met gave blood so that I could live.”