Life-saving blood donation changes life outlook for San Mateo Deputy Mayor Lisa Nash
Each day, Lisa Nash serves her community, but she wouldn't be able to do her important work as Deputy Mayor of San Mateo without a life-saving donation.
"If that did not happen, if that blood had not been available to me, I would have died," Nash told CBS News Bay Area. "I remember lying in my hospital bed and thinking my time is not done. I have too much to live for."
In 2005, Nash was in an accident that resulted in second and third-degree burns on her body.
"I do not feel sorry for myself," she added. "I just do whatever I can to just enjoy the moment because I really know that in the next second, I may not be here, you know? And so you can complain and you can mope or you can just get on with it and find something good."
Today, she's a dedicated mother and public servant, and her only lasting injury, she says, is a hoarse voice. She attributes her time today to the willingness of others to give blood.
"I'm a proud B negative. So I can only receive blood from people like me, who have similar blood types," Nash explained. "So it's even more important that everyone donates whenever they can. But myself, I went through so much that if I had not had many, many people donating, I wouldn't be here today and that is not an exaggeration."
The recovery process was gruesome. She underwent several surgeries and two years of physical therapy. But she quickly chose to spend her healthy days in service of others.
"After my accident, I made a vow to myself, I said, 'Whatever I do going forward, I want to make sure that I can see the impact of it and that it is something that is good for my community,'" Nash continued. "So I became much more focused on my community, as opposed to my global community."
Nash gives blood as much as possible, roughly every eight weeks.
"[You get] free trail mix or cookies at the end of it, so what's not to like?" Nash exclaimed. "But it's just a great way to try and help your community and I've been very successful and I intend to keep on doing more."
After her most recent donation, she received a special text that her donation actually helped save a life, and for that, she says as long as they'll take her, she'll never stop giving.
"I think about the future. I think about how it is so easy for me to just lie there for 15 minutes and give someone something that I don't know that I'm missing afterwards and possibly could save their lives."
For more information on CBS Bay Area/KPIX blood drives, visit www.vitalant.org/kpix
Wednesday, January 18
San Rafael - Marin Bible Church Gym, 10 Sequoia Road, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM bit.ly/3IFMY7V
Emeryville - Bay Street Shopping Center (empty available storefront) 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM bit.ly/3Welcmc
San Francisco - new Vitalant donation center at 555 Buckingham near Stonestown Galleria donors.vitalant.org
Thursday, January 19
Redwood City - Sequoia YMCA, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM bit.ly/3W4PRlQ
Dublin, Hacienda Crossings Shopping Center, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM bit.ly/3IDpZua
San Francisco - new Vitalant donation center at 555 Buckingham near Stonestown Galleria donors.vitalant.org
