Scores turn out for Cirella Blood Drive
English philosopher Francis Bacon once wrote, “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.”
This quote, which now serves as a summation of the struggle between finding the good through a bad situation, was epitomized on Thursday, as nearly 80 people walked into the William Shields Legion Post on West Shore Road in Warwick to donate blood in the memory of Gianna Cirella, the Toll Gate High School student who was suddenly beset by a battle with sepsis, and ultimately succumbed.
However, with a goal set for 50 people to come and donate their blood to the Rhode Island Blood Center eclipsed by the second hour of the six-hour blood drive, it was clear that Gianna’s legacy will not be one of painful loss, rather the kind of uplifting optimism that will change many lives for the better.
Tangibly, while 10 of the 79 people who signed up to donate were deferred due to various reasons, the 69 people who did have blood drawn will allow for the possibility to save 207 lives – as blood donations are split into red cells, platelets and plasma, all three of which can save different individuals.
Mayor Joseph Solomon was one of those donors, smiling and chatting with nurses and attendants of the blood drive.
“The gift of life is the most important gift you can give,” he said during a brief speech. “This is a great result of the community coming together and that’s what makes this community a great place to live.”
Less tangibly, the community reaction to Gianna’s passing, which happened last October, showed the strength of bonds between friends, families and total strangers who rallied behind the GIStrong hashtag and propped up a family who had just experienced the unthinkable. Tara Cirella, Gianna’s mother, has since stated that the support is the only thing that got her through the ordeal, and that it continues to be crucially important today. The blood drive was just the most recent example of this support.
“When something terrible happens, you feel helpless,” said Kara LeBlanc, Director of Marketing & Media Relations for the Rhode Island Blood Center. “This [donating blood] is something tangible that you can do to help.”
LeBlanc recalled that Gianna needed 174 total blood donations throughout her 16-day fight with sepsis in the hospital, and that it illustrated how important it is to have blood available at the center throughout the year. While donations following a tragedy are amazing, important and illustrate humanity’s most benevolent qualities, those donations would not actually be cleared to use, as they require multiple tests to be done first, she said.
“This is going to help prevent shortages over the summer,” LeBlanc said. “This kind of response and community turnout at this time of year is truly remarkable.”
“It’s good to see the whole community come together,” said Ernest Flagg, candidate for Ward 4 Councilman, adding that he wasn’t surprised to see the outpouring of support. “The people are pretty tight here in Ward 4. They’ll do anything to help you out.”
For Tara, the message is always simple and it’s always the same. Things may never be normal, easy or without some form of sorrow again following the loss of her daughter, however you have to conquer it somehow.
“You have to find the good through the bad,” she said. “You have to find the good in the bad.”
