American Red Cross

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Without blood donors, Jade Howard might not be here.
When Jade was 4 years old, she was diagnosed with beta thalassemia intermedia, a rare inherited blood disorder that affects the body’s ability to produce healthy hemoglobin.
Because of this, Jade has required regular blood transfusions her entire life to stay alive.
“It’s been more and more frequent,” she said. “It was once every couple of years when I was younger. Once I got into high school, once a year, and then, once I turned 19, it was once every six months to once every three months. For the past year, it’s been once every six weeks.”
Jade knows when her body is starting to need blood again. The symptoms are impossible to ignore.
“My skin and my eyes literally get yellow,” she said. “I look very jaundiced. I get so tired, so dizzy and consistently start having blurred vision.”
When those warning signs appear, her doctor moves quickly to schedule a transfusion. The difference donated blood makes is almost immediate.
“The next day, I’m a whole different person,” Jade said. “I have so much energy back. The blood transfusions bring my motivation and my life back into me.”
Over the years, those transfusions have allowed Jade to do far more than just manage her condition. They’ve given her the energy to pursue her goals, build a life she loves, and choose a career inspired by her own experience as a blood recipient.
Jade is now a phlebotomist with the American Red Cross of Northern New England. For someone who has relied on blood donors her entire life, her career is very personal.
“Being a phlebotomist is my part to give back for everything I have taken,” she said. “This is going to be something I will do for the rest of my life, and my need for blood is only going to be more consistent.”
Jade has developed close relationships with many of the donors she sees regularly. She knows their stories, and they know hers. Every donation reminds her of the people who have made her own life possible.
“Our donors genuinely just want to make a difference and are deeply committed to doing so,” Jade said. “They’re amazing. I wouldn’t be alive without them. All I can do is be grateful.”

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