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'Hands in the dirt' | Frayser church prepares blood drive especially 'personal' for organizers

"When I was eight years, old I received several blood transfusions and IVs which saved my life. If there wasn't blood in the bank, I wouldn't be here."

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On Monday afternoon, a Frayser church will host a blood drive aimed at helping those with sickle cell disease — the most common genetic blood disorder in the United States. 

The event is especially personal for the organizing pastor and volunteers.

"Blood transfusions literally saved my life when I was a child," Heather Duke said.

Duke has sickle cell disease. 

"When I was eight years, old I received several blood transfusions and IVs which saved my life," she said. "If there wasn't blood in the bank, I wouldn't be here today."

The drive will be located at 1215 Floyd Avenue in the church's fellowship hall from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. 

"We have a blood drive that's coming up, specifically with the initiative of helping the sickle cell community," Deon Johnson said.

Johnson is the pastor at Word of Life Church

"We would like to see arms wrapped around those individuals," Johnson said. "We like to see our community come together ... For me, it's a personal thing where our community has been really affected by it."

Johnson has more than a few family members that have sickle cell.

"My son has sickle cell disease — SE disease. My wife has a cousin with sickle cell disease, hemoglobin C disease and I have also have a nephew who had sickle cell disease, but then he had bone marrow transplant, and that saved him, so, this thing can save lives."

Deon Johnson II is 16-years-old, but experienced health troubles as early as five.

"I had a pain crisis, and I had to go to Saint Jude," he said. "I had a stroke in my eyes just recently. We could be in life-threatening situations."

Father and Pastor Johnson prioritizes "acts of service."

"God's love is so abundant, we want to show it through acts service such as this," he said. "We obviously want to share the 'good news,' but one of the things [to keep in mind is] when Jesus was on earth, he was constantly having his hands in the dirt — constantly healing."

Heather Duke remains grateful and "passionate" about the drive.

"I hope there will be people today to come and donate blood for another child or another adult or anyone else who needs it," she said.

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