New program for birthday celebrations
By Julie Peachey
On May 1, we officially kicked off a new program at our center locations that helps life-saving blood donors celebrate life to the fullest. Our goal is to recognize those who make blood donation a part of their special occasion, which in turn helps us maintain a sufficient blood supply.
Birthday Center Drives
Bringing a group of friends to give blood in celebration of a birthday was an idea that began several years ago by blood donors themselves. The concept has now been brought to life as a program that is now an official part of our operation.
How it works
A few weeks before your birthday, we will send an email inviting you to celebrate by donating with friends and family members on a day during your birthday month. We’ll help you schedule the party for a time and center location convenient for your group. On the day of your donation, we will have a special birthday welcome sign to greet the party. Post-donation, we’ll treat you all to an ice cream cake in the canteen.
A Prime Example
Tom Bramwell was the first donor to sign up for the birthday center drive program. A fixture at our Apple blood drives since he moved to the Bay Area in 2000, he was excited to celebrate his birthday with a group of friends at our Mountain View location. Tom (pictured below, third from right) has been an advocate for blood donation since age 16 when his father needed blood for an upcoming liver transplant. “Blood donation is a moral obligation to pay back what people did for my family.” Tom’s group birthday drive is a wonderful example of giving back to the community, and we are grateful to him for taking part in our new program.
We hope you’ll make us a part of your next birthday celebration! To schedule a drive, please contact Carolyn Tong at carolyn.tong@stanford.edu.