WASHINGTON 鈥� House Majority Whip Steve Scalise has had more than this fair share of needles and tubes poking in and out of his body over the last year, so one more wasn鈥檛 going to bother him on the anniversary of his near-fatal shooting on a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia.
In fact, Scalise was all smiles Thursday as he slowly made his way into the foyer of the Rayburn Office Building for the annual Congressional Blood Drive.
鈥淚鈥檝e definitely given more than my fair share of blood, but just not in the same way,鈥� Scalise joked before his pre-donation screening.
The anniversary of Scalise鈥檚 shooting also happens to be World Blood Donor Day, and Scalise was on hand to not just give back after so many others gave to help him, but to encourage others to do the same.
鈥淚t took 20 pints of blood to get me back,鈥� said Scalise. 鈥淎 normal body holds about nine pints so I definitely used way more than my fair share and through the grace of people that donate blood was able to help save my life.鈥�
Scalise says he鈥檚 donated before, but not regularly.聽Shortly before he rolled up his left sleeve to make his donation, he admitted the last year has provided a different perspective.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that鈥檚 important to do and when you鈥檙e healthy, there are people that need that blood to live.鈥�
The Congressional Blood Drive is run by Inova Blood Donor Services.
鈥淥ur need is constant,鈥� says Heather Wade, a donor recruitment manager with Inova. 鈥淚nova Blood Donor Services provides 250 blood products each and every day to the 24 area hospitals in the metro Washington DC area. So that鈥檚 a big challenge for us, and in the summer time we actually see a decrease in participation. So we鈥檙e asking you to visit us.鈥�
Last year, hundreds of people took part in the Congressional Blood Drive.
This year, Luke Peterson was among the first to step out of the office.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty convenient to do it right at work,鈥� said Peterson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always a good thing to try to help out some people; I know it鈥檚 helped out some people in my family before, who used blood transfusions, and it鈥檚 always something I know we need across the country.鈥�
Peterson said donating is “pretty easy” and “not painful.鈥�
That was a relief to Ellen Gosnell, who was giving for the first time.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 pretty impressive that so many people were willing to donate blood so I just kind of wanted to do my part too,鈥� said Gosnell.
But her eyes never drifted down to her left arm, where the blood was being drawn out.
鈥淣ot at all,鈥� Gosnell laughed. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like needles.鈥�
But it didn鈥檛 stop her.
鈥淵eah, but I think most people here are probably afraid of needles, to be fair,鈥� said Gosnell.聽 鈥淚f they can do it, I can do it too.鈥�
On Saturday, Inova will hold its annual blood drive with the Washington Nationals from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most of the morning slots are already booked, but people who want to donate in the afternoon can drop by without an appointment, get a tour of Nats Park, and receive a T-shirt and two tickets to a future game.
Click for more information on Inova’s Blood Drive.
