Despite her fear of needles, Cindy Castillo completed her 500th blood donation at Baylor Scott & White, potentially impacting a thousand lives with her dedication. did.
TEMPLE, TEXAS — In an extraordinary dedication to helping others, Central Texas resident Cindy Castillo completed her 500th blood donation at Baylor Scott & White. This milestone could impact the lives of 1,000 patients.
“Every donation could be an answer to someone’s prayer,” said Castillo, who started donating in her early 20s despite her fear of needles. “When God answers someone’s prayers, I’m not going to stand in God’s way.”
Ms. Castillo’s accomplishment is all the more remarkable because she shares this journey with her sister, who herself has made 419 donations. Together, they are working toward a goal of 1,000 total donations.
Dr. Christopher Gonzalez of Baylor Scott & White Temple calls Castillo “invaluable,” but emphasizes that the blood center relies on every donor.
“She’s amazing. She helped save a thousand lives,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “How many people can say, ‘Hey, I’ve contributed to the happiness of a thousand people’?”
Castillo’s journey to reach 500 donations began when she and her sister, who had an eye condition, looked for ways to volunteer.
“When you volunteer for something, as soon as they find out you’re blind, they say, ‘Sit down, we’ve solved it,'” Castillo recalled.
However, in blood drives, I was told that my eyesight does not affect my ability to donate blood.
Her commitment to donating platelets grew stronger after learning about three people she knew who had developed cancer. Platelets are important not only for cancer patients undergoing treatment, but also for accident victims and bypass surgery patients. Platelet donors can donate up to 24 times a year, while whole blood donations are limited to seven times a year.
The timing of Castillo’s milestone is especially important because Dr. Gonzalez explained that blood donations often drop during the holiday season.
“People are busy, they’re shopping, they’re having fun with their families. They don’t necessarily think, ‘I’m going to donate blood,'” he says. “Without blood products, it’s no wonder that more surgeries would have to be canceled, such as young children with leukemia who desperately need platelets, or sickle cell patients who need red blood cell replacement.”
Dr. Gonzalez also points to the worrying trend of an aging blood donor population in the United States. He hopes Castillo’s story will inspire younger generations to donate, even if they don’t match her extraordinary numbers.
The Baylor Scott & White Blood Donor Center is accepting walk-in appointments and walk-ins for those interested in donating blood.
“We’re right next to the cafeteria,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “Just call the hospital switchboard and you’ll be fine. We can usually take patients on a walk-in basis.”
As for Castillo, he continues to donate regularly, seeing each donation as an opportunity to help others.
“Maybe that’s the only reason God put me here,” she reflected. “I may just be a stepping stone, but I always look like God put us here for a reason.”
Her advice for first-time donors?
“Say a prayer and know that you are helping someone. That is the best thing to do. It is to let someone know that you are important to them. There are people out there who need you.” .”
