Letter to the Editor: Consider giving blood

In 1998 Christi Mead Nielsen’s life was first touched by blood donors. At that time, she had two valves in her heart replaced. 

Over the years, Christi received more than 50 pints of blood, all from generous volunteer blood donors. 

Though Christi passed away in 2010 at the age of 47 after many years of complications from heart disease, she was grateful that blood transfusions helped her to live, laugh and love for these years. 

Following Christi’s death, her husband Kim Nielson found this poem that Christi had penned in 2001 on her computer. 

The Gift of Life

Someone saved my life today. 

I don’t know who they are, 

or even know their name. 

I don’t know if they are male or female, 

or the color of their eyes or skin or hair. 

I don’t know how they make their living, 

or what they dream of doing when they go out to play. 

I don’t know if they believe in God, or just the kindness of strangers. 

I don’t know what made them open that door and leave a part of themselves inside. 

I do know their priceless gift was the difference between life and death. 

My life. My death. 

Without their gift, my husband would be without his wife, my son without his mother. 

People I love would mourn a sister, a daughter, a friend. 

Without their gift my dreams would have died, unrealized, unshared, unexplored. 

But someone saved my life today, with a sacrificial gift of blood. 

My family lives together, whole. 

I live a life of dreams I now make real. 

Someone saved my life today. 

I don’t know who or where or why. 

Whoever you are, I would just like to say, 

Thank you.

Christi Mead Nielsen, Blood recipient 

December 7, 1962 - September 2, 2010

The Elsie Madrid Blood drive is July 12. Only 7% of the population donates blood. Please consider being a blood donor. 

Thank you, 

Rosalie Curtis