NAMPA, Idaho — On Tuesday, the Red Cross of Greater Idaho opened its second permanent donation center in Idaho, which sits in Nampa.
During the ribbon-cutting event, Joshua Winkerman, Spoke about why blood donation is so crucial.
Winkerman's son, James, was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2019. The Winkerman family was shaken by the news.
“You don’t believe it," Winkerman told Idaho News 6 about his reaction to hearing his son had Leukemia. "Your first action to say no, this isn’t what’s happening, let’s go home."
Because of the chemotherapy, James was going through, he needed frequent blood transfusions. Something Joshua said was challenging because James was undergoing treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The blood supply was low, and Joshua said doctors had to decide which patients could get which blood transfusions.
“I will never forget the people that helped us when we were lost in the dark," Winkelman said.
Two months ago, the Winkelman family received news James would make a recovery.
Joshua compared the feeling of learning about the cancer to hearing James was in recovery. He said the disbelief was almost the same.
"It's not dissimilar to be told that everything is going to be fine, and you don't have to come in anymore," Joshua told Idaho News 6 about hearing his son was in recovery. "You think, well that can't be right, we've been doing this for so long. How are we done? That doesn't make sense... Ultimately, the biggest difference is at the beginning, you feel beat down and at the end, you feel alive.”
Joshua urges everyone to donate blood if they can.
Opening Nampa's donation center was, in part, to help people in the western Treasure Valley. The Red Cross will continue to expand as well. Next year they plan on opening a site in Twin Falls.
For more information on blood donations, visit the Red Cross of Greater Idaho's website.
