STANTON, DE – Newark teen Chara Quick made her first blood donation on Monday, July 7 at Blood Bank of Delmarva’s Christiana Donor Center –inspired by her younger brother Caleb, a cancer survivor who once relied on transfusions during treatment.
Chara turned 16 in April, the minimum age to donate blood, and set her sights on giving back.
“My brother really needed blood as part of his treatment, so I thought this would be a great way to help people,” Chara said.
The Quick family has been active in raising awareness about the need for blood, hosting drives in April and September 2024. At the September event, Caleb, 10, even met five of his donors.
Joining Chara for her first donation were her parents John and Naomi Quick, her grandparents Elizabeth and Jonathan Ginter, and Caleb himself.
“It feels good, because they’re all supporting me,” Chara said. “It’s very easy to donate blood, and it’s understandable to be nervous. But, it’s actually a lot less scary than it looks.”
Channel 6ABC covered Chara’s donation.
A single blood donation can help save up to three lives. Whole blood is separated into red cells (often used for trauma patients), platelets (typically given to cancer patients), and plasma (frequently needed for burn victims).
