New Hope Church Holds Blood Drive

held a blood donation drive at its Brownsville Road location in Powder Springs on Wednesday. 

Reverend Dr. Cedrita Reid, New Hope’s associate minister and the event’s organizer, said the church hosts the drive every year, and this year it was being held as a Memorial Blood Drive in memory of William “Ray” Barney, a member of the church who died in March of cancer of the blood. 

Reid said she was first made aware of the importance of blood donation because of her brother-in-law, who had sickle cell anemia and a constant need for blood transfusions until his death.

Qvyah Clemons-Franklin, Barney’s daughter, was in attendance greeting everyone and thanking all who came. She came from her home in Michigan to be there.

She spoke on behalf of her family, including her mother, Bessie Barney. She spoke of her father’s plight with cancer. Barney had a need for transfusions frequently, and whenever he needed one, it was available for him.

Clemons-Franklin said during that time, she learned how important the need was for blood. She said she will be donating whenever possible in the future, and she considers it payment for the kindness that was shown to her dad.

“I have a unique experience as a blood donor,” attendee Pearlie McClain said. McClain explained that she donates whenever she has the opportunity. 

On one such occasion, her blood pressure was high and it was recommended that she should see her doctor. The next day at her doctor’s office, he recommended for her to go to a cardiologist. The cardiologist performed an EKG, and with the results of that test, wanted to perform a cardiac catheterization. 

During this test, it was discovered that she had a blockage going to her heart, and within in two weeks, she had bypass surgery. She said she had no pain, and her cholesterol was normal on her blood work. She likes to say that she went to save a life and her life was saved by the American Red Cross.     

Kim Bunch, team supervisor for the American Red Cross, said: “We are here to save life—from newborns to the elderly.” 

She said a number of newborns are born with defects or are premature, and for those reasons, they might need blood. Most aren’t aware that a lot of adults have a CMV virus that is harmless in adults, but a newborn baby cannot have blood from anyone carrying this virus, Bunch said.  

The American Red Cross tests all blood donations for this virus, and people who do not have it are referred to as baby blood donors. 

Bunch explained that several elderly people are severely anemic and they need transfusions repeatedly.

The whole procedure is painless, and the time it takes to donate blood is usually 15 minutes, she said.

For more information, please visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767. 

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