Two of the 103,047 donors who qualified for our Lucky Giveaway were very lucky indeed. All donors who came to donate at a blood drive or donation center March 1-31 were eligible for one of two $5,000 gift cards. While only two of those donors won the $5,000 prize, they all helped patients feel lucky to have the blood available when they needed it.
Congratulations to Katrina P. from Illinois and Kali T. from Colorado on their big wins! Both Katrina and Kali are relatively new to giving blood. Katrina has given a total of eight lifetime blood donations. Kali donated has donated twice; her second one was a concurrent platelet and plasma donation.
Each winner received a gift card of their choice.
Kali was thrilled when she learned she won the prize and responded to the news, “When I found out I won the $5,000 I was shocked! I never thought I would receive something so big!”
Like many blood donors, Kali gave her first blood donation at a blood drive at her college. “I won’t lie, the firstthing that got me to donate was that it was extra credit for a college class," Kali said. But she was easily motivated to give again, “Only to learn about the huge impact it makes on others’ lives … I decided to keep donating. What motivated me to keep donating is that reminder of the lives I can help with my blood type and how unique of an experience it is to think that I am helping so many people.”
Kali had to overcome some fear the first time she donated. She recalled, “I was definitely scared myself for the first time, but once you see the true meaning of donation and the lives you change, you’ll want to keep donating!”
A final note from Kali after learning the news of her prize, “I would like to say thank you to Vitalant for making this experience possible! As for anyone who receives these donations, I wish you the best and you are so strong!"
At the time of publication, Katrina had not sent us more details about her blood donation, but we are grateful to her and all the blood donors who made March so lucky for patients.