At age 3, Elena needed blood transfusions to help her fight a rare disease that caused her body to produce fewer red blood cells than normal. Blood transfusions helped boost Elena’s red cell count, which in turn boosted her energy. “You could just see the color and energy coming back to her,” says Elena’s mother, Betsy. The change in Elena brought her family to a new level of awareness. “My sister donates blood now,” Betsy says. “My mom volunteers at blood drives. We didn’t realize how a tiny bit of blood can make such a big difference.”
