# @americanredcross on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DdXTzh4I2wc
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70562479-americanredcross-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/9fae36f47a.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-16T22:00:49.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** American Red Cross (@americanredcross) — https://gondola.cc/americanredcross

## Caption

In 2020, Corey Mitchell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition that now requires him to use a wheelchair every day.

“It took me off my feet, I couldn’t do anything for myself,” he said. “Through rehab, I’m in a wheelchair still. I can walk on leg braces, but I can’t drive and get myself around.”

While navigating these challenges, Corey never lost sight of helping others. As a member of OfficialOPPF, he continued participating in his chapter's annual blood drives and learned he was still eligible to donate blood despite his diagnosis.

After making a donation, he received unexpected news from a Red Cross donor recruitment manager.

“I was having a bad day, and she reached out excited,” Corey said. “She told me that my blood can help sickle cell patients.”

Corey’s blood carries a rare antigen profile, CEK-negative, meaning his blood is a close match for many patients with sickle cell disease who require frequent blood transfusions.

“It’s awesome to be able to help,” Corey said. “To be able to go through the situation that I’m going through and still be able to affect someone with sickle cell, it’s an honor. I lost a good friend to sickle cell — he was 35. I’ve seen firsthand what sickle cell can do to someone.”

Blood transfusions of a close blood type match are often critical for many patients with sickle cell disease. Frequent transfusions can make finding compatible blood types more difficult when patients develop an immune response against blood from donors that is not closely matched to the blood of the recipient. For patients with sickle cell disease, blood donors who are Black are almost three times more likely to be a match for the blood most commonly needed, compared to donors who are not Black or African American.

You could be a lifesaving match. Make an appointment to give blood through the link in our bio.

#TeamUp4SickleCell #DonateBlood #GiveBlood #SickleCell #SickleCellAwareness

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## Tags

sicklecellawareness, giveblood, donateblood, sicklecell, teamup4sicklecell

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