You've heard it before - "it's in you to give"

The famous slogan from Canadian Blood Services, "It's in you to give" shows up all over the place. Have you seen it?

I've seen it on buses, at schools, driving around attached to vehicles - yet it seems that there is always a shortage of donors. I seem to have a hard time staying put long enough to be a good donor. Moving around Canada would be fine - but I keep on going places that put me on the waiting list. As of right now - the next time I can donate is the end of August 2014 thanks to my masters' program. My grandma was a super donor throughout her life - and ended up needing a lot of transfusions before she passed away. If for no one else - I keep her in mind when I waver if I 'want' to go. I'd feel like quite the smuck if someone else's grandma needed blood and didn't get it because I didn't "want" to go.

I realize that donating isn't for everyone. There are a lot of reason. Some are political - like the asinine policy that excludes gay men, some are more personal, some due to health... lots of reasons - so please don't think I am judging you, if you are not a donor. That's not my point.

While at UPeace - met some incredible people from all over the world. They keep popping up in my life still teaching me things from a distance. J'aime is one of those people. Last year - via facebook I read that J'aime was sick. She wrote about needing a bone marrow donor - and later about her sister being a match. She wrote about how so many people out there are seeking matches that are so hard to come by - and asked if people would become registered with the bone marrow banks - just in case they were a match and could save someone else's life. At the time I read her message - and though, yes - I should do that... but the link had been posted to an American site - and it slide out of my focus when I didn't have time at that moment to figure out how to do that at Canada.

J'aime and Steve leading a class on using spoken word in education, it was great!

It's a year later - and facebook again tells me that J'aime is doing well. Apparently, after a year, you get a second birth - with your body accepting the new marrow and generating new life for you again. Yesterday - I read J'aime's blog, "Will You Marrow Me?"and she has a new goal: to help 150 people become registered to be possible marrow donors. There are links for people from the States, from Canada, tips to help people from other international locations.

So yesterday, I went to the link (through Canadian Blood Services) and filled out the information. I'll get my swab kit in the mail - and maybe someday I'll be someone's match. This time, keeping someone like J'aime in mind.

So - maybe think about it. It is, after all, in you to give.

Peace to you~