# @americanredcross on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DchIPEXnyxf
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70562530-americanredcross-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/6e6b8f1928.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-26T21:00:44.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** American Red Cross (@americanredcross) — https://gondola.cc/americanredcross

## Caption

John Conely began donating blood as a teenager while working summer jobs and continued the habit throughout a career that took him across the country and around the world. Even after retirement, he stayed committed, donating about every eight weeks and helping support blood collection efforts in his community with RedCrossTN.

Then, in 2024, a routine blood donation changed everything.

When John arrived to donate, he learned his iron levels were too low. He had also begun feeling unwell. What started as a blood donation deferral led to months of testing and, ultimately, a diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a disorder that affects the body's ability to produce healthy blood cells.

John began treatment, but his condition eventually progressed to acute myeloid leukemia. By then, he had lost 65 pounds and his blood counts had fallen to dangerously low levels. Blood transfusions became an essential part of his treatment.

At age 80, the man who had spent a lifetime donating blood was now relying on two to three blood transfusions each week. Donations from people he'd likely never meet sustained him through treatment and gave his body time to begin producing healthy blood cells again.

John's health has now improved, his medical appointments are less frequent, and he's back to doing many of the things he enjoys, including working outdoors and occasionally riding horses. After decades of donating blood to help others, he knows firsthand just how important it is to have blood there when patients need it most. ♥️

#DonateBlood #GiveBlood #BloodDonor #MDS #AML

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 216
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- **Comments:** 7

## Tags

blooddonor, mds, giveblood, donateblood, aml

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