Mary Sinatra has been donating regularly at Unyts’ Neighborhood Blood Donation Center at the Southgate Plaza for the last eight years. She began donating when the site was first established because the hours were more convenient than the Red Cross. Becoming a platelet donor with Unyts was suggested early on, and she has been donating platelets ever since.
It doesn’t take much to donate and it is an exhilarating feeling to know you have helped someone.
The main reason Mary became a blood donor was to help the community. While she didn’t have a lot of money, she had blood and knew blood donation was helpful. Since she began donating, her grandson has had many surgeries requiring transfusions, and her brother has had Cancer. This reinforced with Mary the need for blood donors. She also appreciates that the blood donated with Unyts goes to patients in need across WNY.
Mary thinks the best part about donating blood is the feeling you get afterwards, knowing that you helped someone in need, and potentially saved a life. She thinks about how she is helping someone like her brother and through donating, she is honoring him.
When asked what she would tell someone who was considering donating blood, Mary said “Why not? It doesn’t take much to donate and it is an exhilarating feeling to know you have helped someone. It’s a very pleasant experience with the staff and that makes it easy to do!”