INDIANAPOLIS — When Devin Linette suits up for her RN shift at the Community East Hospital emergency room, she never knows what the next 12 hours will bring and how much blood — a precious resource now in critically short supply — they'll need to track down.
"The need for blood is much greater than just the traumatic events that happen...there's also the blood conditions that need to receive blood as well, and I see that a lot in the ER," Linette said.
When Linette recently learned that mobile donation sites at businesses and schools were shut down because of the pandemic, she offered to host a drive at the Common Ground Christian Church sanctuary where her husband, Sam, is on staff. They set up six stations and recruited from the congregation and community.
"I posted our first blood drive...and the very next day is when my doctor called me and admitted me to the hospital to receive blood transfusions," Linette said.
Ironically, she was diagnosed with chronic leukemia. Her blood counts tanked.
She got very sick, was put in isolation, and recalls a near-death experience.
"I was lying in bed with my daughter and an eagle came down to bed and picked me up and took me away to this bright white brightness that I know was eternity," Linette said. "And I saw it when I didn't get there but I saw myself. And I said, 'It's OK, you can take the Lord as my Savior, you can have me,' and then I said, 'But my babies need their mommy,' and the eagle turned around and brought me back.
Her daughter Selah is 4 and son Jude is 2. Linette is now in remission and grateful.
She got an eagle tattoo to help her remember how close she came to death and the donor's blood that helped bring her back.
"I had no idea. I mean that was completely unexpected. I've never been in the situation to need blood in my life before until the day after I had my first blood drive," Linette said. "I never thought it would be me, and then it was.
Common Ground now hosts blood drives every six weeks and to date, has contributed more than 217 units of blood. Linette believes if more people understood the critical need, they would contribute.
"Go donate. I think that is the number one thing anyone can do. It doesn't require your money. ... It just takes a little bit of your time. Donate an hour of your time to give blood to somebody who really needs it," Linette said.
WTHR is partnering with the American Red Cross Indiana Region to host blood drives Aug. 26-27. Donate between 1 and 7 p.m. at the following locations:
- Greenwood Moose Lodge - 813 W. Smith Valley Road, Greenwood, IN 46142
- Madison Park Church of God - 6607 Providence Drive., Anderson, IN 46013
- Phoenix Theatre - 705 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis., IN 46204
- Connection Pointe Christian Church - 1800 N. Green St., Brownsburg, IN 46112
- Monroe County Convention Center - 302 S. College, Bloomington, IN 47403