A Heartfelt Commitment: One Donor’s Journey Inspired by Her Father
Amy Malvase hadn’t given much thought to the idea of blood donation until spending time at her dad’s side during his treatment for a gastrointestinal bleed. He struggled with low hemoglobin, requiring several blood transfusions. “There was one time when he needed a more urgent transfusion,” she recalls. “We were so fortunate that the blood was just there for him when it was most critical.”
This experience stuck with her, and she began thinking about all the times she had heard the calls for blood donation. “When you or someone in your family needs it, you realize how important it is,” she reflected.
During one of the many conversations she shared with her father, they talked about blood donors and how fortunate he had been to receive the blood he needed. “My dad always referred to blood donation as simply ‘A good thing,’ and that’s stayed with me. He lived a little longer and felt better from those transfusions. That’s why I decided: it’s time to give back.”
After her father’s passing two years ago, it took some time to get started, but she made it her goal. “I’ve given four times now. It makes me feel good, like I’m giving back in a meaningful way. I’ve made it part of my routine, part of my life, for as long as I can give.”
Amy, left, with her sister at the Giants fantasy batting practice
She made her first donation at a library blood drive, but now donates regularly at our South Bay Donor Center. During one of her appointments, she entered a drawing for a fantasy batting practice with the San Francisco Giants and was thrilled to learn she had won. “It was above and beyond, a huge added bonus,” she shares. But with three Giants-loving sons, the choice of who to bring as her guest was tough. “How could I choose between my sons? So, I brought my sister!”
Now, as an avid blood donor, she encourages friends to donate. “It comes up in different social circles,” she says, adding, “it’s my thing now.”
For Amy, blood donation isn’t just a commitment she made to herself—it’s a promise she made to her dad. “Every time I give, I think of him.” By honoring that promise, she’s found a meaningful way to help others, just as her family was supported in their time of need.