As a Versiti Organ and Tissue employee, Nichole Badura is no stranger to the impact that donated placenta can make on patients in need. “Part of my job is to educate hospitals on birth tissue and ensure they’re sharing that information with their patients,” she says.

Because Nichole had an emergency C-section with her first child, she was unable to donate her placenta. So, when she knew she would have a planned C-section with her second child, deciding to donate her placenta was a no-brainer. “There was so much excitement about it—I get to do it this time and I couldn’t the first time,” she says.

Now, she encourages other mothers to learn more about what it means to donate birth tissue. “It boggles my mind that there are so many women who don’t say yes to this,” she says. “I really feel that it’s just an awareness and education thing. Part of my job is to raise awareness and encourage mothers and hospitals to say yes to it.”

People need people, make a difference in someone’s life by donating blood.

We must rely on each other for the gift of blood, and patients in your community rely on the generosity of Versiti’s blood donors to help. Please consider scheduling an appointment to donate. If this is your first time, donating blood is quick, easy and relatively painless. And, it is a great way to give back and help patients in your community.