The General Conference (GC) office in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, hosted a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on September 15.
Led by Marcia McEdward, employee care coordinator and health educator for the GC, the blood drive aimed to provide a vital resource for patient transfusion services and connect the GC office with the local community.
Blood is an essential component for surgeries and cancer, chronic illness, and traumatic injury treatment. The American Red Cross reports that someone in the United States requires blood or platelets every two seconds. One car accident victim may require as many as 100 units of blood.
According to the American Red Cross, only about three per cent of those eligible to donate blood do so yearly, causing the demand for blood to often be greater than the supply.
During the GC blood drive, 21 people successfully donated, providing 23 units of blood to the community. “We had 14 first-time donors, and that encourages people to do it again because the first time is the most unnerving,” said McEdward.
“If you’re able to, giving blood is so important for the community. It literally saves lives in a myriad of different situations, and it’s a good way to witness through our actions,” said Paige Swanson, senior editorial assistant for inVerse and first-time blood donor.
Hosting the blood drive at the GC office provided an opportunity for the community to learn about the Adventist church. About one quarter of the donors were from the local community. A few of them had met Adventists before but had never participated in a Church activity.
McEdward met one woman who had only known about the Church because she had an Adventist employer. After leaving a personal item behind, McEdward contacted the woman and was invited to a lunch meeting the next day. “Anytime we touch the community in general, it’s an important time for us to say who we are and what we value, and that we value life,” said McEdward.
Organizers plan to stay in touch and actively build friendships and trust with the community members who donated blood. Additionally, organizers are hoping to host blood drives at the GC office three times a year starting in 2027.
“I’m just thankful for this opportunity. We praise God for ways that we can give,” said McEdward.
