“My son, Liam, was born with a critical form of congenital heart disease and has required several major open heart surgeries and related procedures over the years. He has about a dozen major cardiac defects, and as a result, only has the function of about half of his heart. Unfortunately, there is no cure for his heart disease at this time. Last month, my brave boy had his fourth major heart operation to help improve his cardiac output and to reroute the circulation in his body. In each of these major heart operations, he received many Red Cross blood products to help him while he is on the cardiac bypass machine. Blood products are then given to him throughout these 6-7 hour operations and the days following the surgery to help his body recover. As a former blood recipient myself, a dedicated Red Crosser, and also as a dad, I have seen the true importance and impact of blood donation. Whenever we have to meet with Liam’s surgical team to discuss a new surgery and I hear the words t...