When Madison Ringenberg was born, her doctors discovered she was suffering from DiGeorge Syndrome, a rare congenital disease. Madison immediately needed open heart surgery and many blood transfusions. Soon after, Madison’s body also stopped producing platelets and for three months she remained in the hospital receiving daily platelet transfusions.

During this same time, there was a platelet shortage and Madison was not receiving the amount of transfusions she needed to survive. However, with the help of many wonderful friends and family and the American Red Cross, Madison received the platelets she so desperately needed.

“When the American Red Cross says there is a shortage, they are not joking,” said Madison’s mother, Lisa. “It’s not like they have extra units of platelets hiding somewhere. Almost losing Madison because people do not give enough platelets made me realize the importance of being a regular donor. The American Red Cross became and still is our lifeline,” Lisa added.

Keone Penn knows full well that he is alive today because somebody took the time to donate blood to the American Red Cross. Diagnosed at six months-old with sickle cell anemia and the victim of a stroke at age 5, Keone says blood transfusions made the difference between life and death for him.

Between ages 5 and 12, Keone needed blood transfusions twice a month to help sustain his life. At age 12, he became the first person to be cured of sickle cell anemia when he had a cord blood transplant. For months afterward, he depended on regular platelet transfusions to rebuild his weakened immune system.

“The only reason I’m alive today is the Red Cross provided the blood and platelets for the many transfusions that I needed,” Keone says. “If it wasn’t for those donations, I wouldn’t be alive to receive the transplant.”

Keone encourages everyone who can to regularly donate platelets. “There is a dire need for platelet donations because there are others like me who need transfusions to survive,” Keone says.

“I’m a healthy person, but a bad reaction to some medication I was taking nearly killed me,” remembers Tom Lowe, a retired civil engineer. “There is no doubt that Red Cross donors saved my life.”

After working in his attic one hot summer day, Tom noticed a rash of small red dots all over his body. Concerned, he went to his doctor, who sent Tom directly to the hospital for an emergency platelet transfusion. Platelets are a clotting component in blood.

“They started transfusing platelets into me to keep me alive,” said Tom. Doctors discovered Tom was bleeding internally, hence the small red dots. The condition came about as a reaction to medication Tom was taking to combat hand cramps. “They said my platelet count was zero.” With an undetectable platelet count, he was at risk for spontaneous bleeding. For 24 hours, doctors transfused platelets into his body.

Tom never thought he would one day be the recipient of platelets. “I can’t stress enough how important it is for people to donate regularly,” said Tom, who recovered completely within a few weeks of his ordeal. “We never think we’re going to need platelets. We hope we won’t need it, but it’s important to know that it will be there if we do.”

Alicia Santiago is just a kid, but she has had more troubles in her short life than most people ever experience. When Alicia was 14 months old she started limping, and because she was in so much pain, she began crawling soon after. Her parents, Mario and Suzi, immediately took her to her doctor where tests showed Alicia had neuroblastoma- a cancer that affects mostly children and infants.

Doctors removed the primary cancerous tumor and prescribed high dose chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. Alicia also underwent two stem cell transplants. Alicia needed many red blood cell and platelet transfusions during her treatment to protect her from internal bleeding and infection, complications from the high dose chemotherapy she was receiving.

“Even though the chemo killed the cancer, it was the platelets and red blood cells that kept her alive,” said Mario. “We are eternally grateful to all the people who donated blood and platelets. What you’re doing makes a difference.”

Alicia received her final transfusion in October 1999 and has been living disease free. She’s still monitored closely, but her dad says she has been going nonstop. Thanks to the many blood and platelet donors, Alicia can once again enjoy normal childhood activities.

Chris Smith is a former blood donor and a believer in giving the gift of life. But neither he nor his wife, Belinda, ever thought that one of their children would be in desperate need of the lifesaving blood and platelets he once so freely gave.

One spring day the Smiths received news neither was expecting. Ben, their youngest, had Biphenotypic Acute Leukemia, a rare form of the cancer. He went from being a vibrant, energetic 3-year-old who liked to wrestle boys twice his size to one who sometimes does not have the energy to keep his eyes open after a full night’s sleep.

Thankfully, Ben’s condition was diagnosed early and quickly after suspicious bruises, accompanied by fever and flu like symptoms, led to a hospital visit and a battery of tests. Since then, Ben has undergone several rounds of chemotherapy and received many units of blood and platelets, which help him through his treatment.

“I think donating blood and platelets is the single best tactical way to help a friend,” says Chris. He says the ordeal has “sparked us to encourage others to donate, but also, we’ve started to work to put blood drives in place.”

Please help us create more stories like these. Reach out and remind those close to you how vital platelet donations are.