Since I first worked on the Africa Mercy in 2007, I have dreamed of donating blood to a patient. That may sound funny but here we are the walking blood bank. There is a local hospital which has a large sign outside their doors that says if you need a blood transfusion you have to bring your own donors. On the ship and here at the centre the patient's don't have to bring their own donors, sometimes we ask if they have family or friends willing to donate, but we are it. I was never able to donate on the ship because my blood type is not common and here throughout Africa, it's even less common than back home. Last year in Togo a surgery had to be cancelled because there were not enough people with the same blood type that the patient needed on the ship. The day finally came today! I was sitting at my computer when Kate, the head of maternity, came in and said she could finally use me! There was a women who had a caesarean who needed blood and I matched. I was so excited. After a lunch of cassava leaves, rice and fish I headed over to the lab and gave a unit. Completely the highlight of my day and my week! Tomorrow I will go meet her.
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