LIFESAVING INITIATIVE The annual Blood of the Martyrs blood drive, organized by the Diocese’s Office of Ministry to Catholics of African Descent (CAD) in partnership with LifeStream Blood Bank, pays tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. while saving lives. Pictured are Gerri Foxall-Kater (left) and Twillea Evans-Carthen (right), members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which also supports the blood drive. The two have been involved in the Blood of the Martyrs drive since its start over two decades ago.
By Miramon Nuevo
The rain fell in sheets on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 16, but even that did not stop people from participating in the kickoff day of the nearly three-month-long 22nd Annual Blood of the Martyrs blood drive held across the Inland Empire.
As Americans nationwide commemorated the life, martyrdom and legacy of King through visual arts, speeches and the unfurling of statues erected to his memory, some desired to honor him by following in his footsteps – shedding their own blood, medically, of course.
“Jesus gave his blood for us, [King] gave his blood for us, so the question is ... are we also willing to give our blood for the sake of the people and save lives?” said David Okonkwo, the Director of the Office of Ministry to Catholics of African Descent (CAD) in the Diocese of San Bernardino.
CAD organizes the Blood of the Martyrs drive each year in partnership with LifeStream Blood Bank, an independent, local blood center with several locations in the Inland Empire (and one in Orange County) that serves more than 80 hospitals in Southern California.
One donor, Skip Burrell of Yucaipa, felt so strongly about the importance of the campaign that he navigated inclement weather and flash flood danger to donate blood at the Riverside LifeStream Center.
“This is my fifth year giving blood ... when I saw how the blood drive benefitted both my mother-in-law and sister-in-law when they needed them most, it made me realized that I can actually be part of something bigger than myself and nobler too,” explained Burrell, a retired distillery marketing executive.
At the San Bernardino LifeStream Center, meanwhile, Twillea Evans-Carthen and Gerri Foxall-Kater could not contain their excitement on how the registration turned out that day. Both are members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the National Council of Negro Women. Together with Okonkwo, the two have been deeply involved in the blood drive since its inception.
“It’s really nice that we can come together as a community remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today, on a rainy day. It’s been an amazing turnout. We’re just pleased that the support from the communities continues to grow and overwhelm,” Evans-Carthen told the BYTE.
Added Foxall-Kater, “I’m just so happy to be here and to meet new people. I’ve always encouraged the members of my organization to volunteer, to serve as a conduit for members of the community by letting them know that they can share their blood regardless of what you may think you cannot do.”
On top of their involvement volunteering with Blood of the Martyrs, both have experienced being on the receiving end of blood donation as well, which only drove home just how necessary and lifesaving it can be.
“In 2005, the blood did make a difference for me because I was in need of it. I just thank God that people are open to donating blood,” Evans-Carthen said.
“I can’t donate blood at the present; however, I can help. I encourage those who I know that they can consider donating blood, not only on Martin Luther King Day, but all year long,” she added.
Apart from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and National Council of Negro Women, other community-based organizations support the Blood of the Martyrs blood drive, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Ecclesia Community Church, Knights of Peter Claver-Ladies Auxiliary, Inland Empire Black Nurses, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, San Bernardino, Sunrise Church in Banning, St. Anthony Catholic Church in San Bernardino and the newcomer, American Association of University Women.
Okonkwo said that one of the Blood of the Martyrs drive’s goals is to get more donations from black individuals. “Blood donors who are black play a critical role in helping people with sickle cell disease. Patients with the disease may rely on regular blood transfusions throughout their lives to help prevent sickle cell complications, such as organ and tissue damage, severe pain, and strokes,” he said.
Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disease in the United States; an estimated 100,000 are currently living with the disease, most of African descent. The disease affects one out of every 365 black babies born in the country.
Statistically, black individuals make up 13 percent of the U.S. population, but less than 3 percent of blood donors, causing a shortage to meet this urgent need.
“Our mission is to educate the Black community not only about the significant role they play in this cause, but more importantly to encourage them to have a complete trust in the medical institutions,” Okonkwo explained. “It is essential that they understand that the blood that the patients receive be the most compatible match possible, which generally comes from someone of the same race or similar ethnicity.
“By donating blood, you make a difference in the lives of patients with sickle cell disease as well as moms with complicated childbirths, people fighting cancer, accident or trauma victims being raced to emergency rooms and more. Your single blood donation may even help save more than one life,” Okonkwo stressed.
The Blood of the Martyrs blood drive runs from January 16 to April 4 at all participating mobile drives and LifeStream Blood Centers located in San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario, High Desert, La Quinta, Murrieta, Rancho Mirage, Placentia and Hemet. Donors must be at least 15 years old and weigh at least 110 llbs. For more information or for hours of the donation centers and hours and location of the mobile drives, please visit lstream.org. Be sure to give the code “RC26” to credit the Blood of the Martyrs with the donation.
Miramon Nuevo is a freelance writer and a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes, Montclair. A retired sports columnist and boxing analyst, he now lives with his wife, Justine, and three children in Fontana.