Shawn Jones knows better than most the impact that blood donation has on the community. Not only does she lead a team of phlebotomists at the Milwaukee, WI, Versiti donor center, but her adult children Shatoya and Darryl both have sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited blood disorder that affects approximately 1 in 400 African Americans. SCD causes red blood cells to become misshapen, affecting the flow of blood and oxygen throughout the body, which can cause severe pain crises, strokes and in some cases, premature death.
As Shatoya and Darryl grew up, Children’s Wisconsin became like a second home to the Jones family. When he was 8 years old, Darryl experienced a stroke that left him with partial right-side paralysis and unable to walk and talk. Around the same time, Shawn began to wonder if 12-year-old Shatoya, who was struggling at school, was having similar health challenges. Doctors confirmed she’d had a silent stroke, which affected her cognitively and explained her academic difficulties.
To manage their disease, both Shatoya and Darryl receive blood transfusions every four weeks. “Without the transfusions, they probably wouldn’t be here or have the quality of life they do now,” Shawn says. “Sickle cell anemia is a hard disease to live with. But with blood transfusions, it’s possible to live a normal life.”
In fact, seeing how blood transfusions positively impacted her children’s lives was what encouraged Shawn to begin her career at Versiti 17 years ago. “It means the world to me,” she says. “I know some people see a job as just a paycheck, but I see it as a lifeline for my family. I appreciate every donor who comes in and gives the gift of life.”
Shawn has seen a lot of growth at Versiti over the last 17 years, but nothing made her happier than the opening of Versiti on King, a permanent donor center and community resource center on Milwaukee’s North Side. “I’m glad they opened Versiti on King to reach out to the urban community and educate people on the importance of blood donation,” she says. “It’s exciting to be a part of that.”
Shawn hopes that sharing her family’s story will encourage more people—especially from diverse communities—to donate blood. “It’s not really taught in our culture, but I would like people to know that it’s much needed,” she says. “Our blood is better matched with our own race. We need more African Americans and minorities to step up and donate.”
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.