All blood types needed! Please check here to find a blood drive.

Patient Stories

Samuel Rivers

Samuel

Samuel, 40, was born with sickle cell disease, and transfusions are a way of life in coping with the hereditary condition. For the past 13 years, he has received a transfusion every four weeks, and more times than he can count, that blood has come from a LifeSouth donor. Without them, he says, he never would have reached his 40th birthday and be able to raise his son.

Through a special program called Sickle Cell Heroes, LifeSouth looks for these donors whose special blood type causes fewer complications for sickle cell patients and others who receive numerous transfusions.

Related Stories

Elijah Cook

Elijah Cook

A month after Elijah Cook was born, he was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia: an inherited blood disorder that causes normally round and flexible red blood cells to become stiff and crescent-shaped. Sickle cell anemia (also known as sickle cell disease, or SCD) leaves...

Janis

Janis

I have been a regular platelet donor for about 17 years following my sister's diagnosis and subsequent death from leukemia. Two of my young grandchildren Kate and Will Boggan (siblings 4 & 6) both had successful bone marrow transplants within their first year of...

George Cretekos

George Cretekos

George Cretekos leads by example. He has a long history of serving others. For 35 years, George served in both Pinellas County and Washington, D.C. as aide to U.S. Representative C.W. Bill Young. He then continued his service in the Clearwater City Council and now...