On November 28, 2025, Lagos Indiana Lions Club demonstrated its unwavering commitment to humanitarian service by partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood donation drive aimed at saving lives and strengthening community health.
Blood donation is one of the most direct and powerful ways to serve humanity. Every unit donated represents hope for patients facing medical emergencies, individuals undergoing surgery, accident victims, and those living with chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease who depend on regular transfusions to survive. This impactful initiative was therefore driven by the deep awareness of a critical and often overlooked health challenge-sickle cell disease. More than 100,000 individuals in the United States live with sickle cell disease, an enduring and frequently invisible genetic blood disorder. It is the most common genetic blood disease in the U.S. and disproportionately affects individuals of African descent.
Sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to become hard and crescent-shaped, rather than soft and round. This abnormal shape makes it difficult for blood to flow smoothly and deliver oxygen throughout the body, leading to severe pain, organ and tissue damage, increased risk of infections, and even strokes. For many patients, regular blood transfusions are not optional, they are lifesaving. In fact, a single patient may require thousands of blood transfusions over a lifetime to manage complications and maintain quality of life.
Blood donation is especially vital for individuals living with sickle cell disease because closely matched blood types improve treatment outcomes. Notably, one in three Black blood donors is a match for people with sickle cell disease, making targeted blood drives like this one particularly significant. Each donation contributes directly to reducing pain crises, preventing long-term complications, and giving patients renewed hope.
Through this partnership with the American Red Cross, Lagos Indiana Lions Club helped raise awareness about the urgent need for blood donors while encouraging community members to take part in a simple yet powerful act of service. The drive served as both a call to action and a reminder that service transcends borders, uniting people around a shared purpose: saving lives.
The president of the club Lion Kehinde Eniola Dawuda MJF, NLCF at the event said, “by choosing to donate, our volunteers and supporters are making a tangible difference often for people they may never meet, yet whose lives are forever changed by this selfless act”. She further said “our partnership with the American Red Cross underscores the importance of collaboration in achieving meaningful impact. Together, we are strengthening the nation’s blood supply and helping ensure that lifesaving blood is available when and where it is needed most. This collaboration also reflects Lions International’s global commitment to health, humanitarian service, and community well-being”. She commended every donor, volunteer, and partner who made the day possible reiterating that their generosity exemplifies the Lions Spirit and demonstrates the power of community coming together for the greater good. She concluded that Lagos Indiana Lions Club remains committed to initiatives that uplift lives, promote health, and inspire service beyond self.
Lagos Indiana Lions Club Blood Donation Drive stands as a powerful testament to the Lions’ motto, “We Serve.” By addressing a critical health need and supporting individuals living with sickle cell disease, the Club reaffirmed its role as a catalyst for compassion and positive change. As the need for blood remains constant, initiatives like this inspire continued community engagement and remind us that every drop donated is a step toward hope, healing, and life itself.
