Carol's Story

Carol Elliott has devoted her life to teaching. For the past 11 years, she has taught at Samuel Clemens High School in San Antonio. She teaches computer applications and is the Chair of the Key Club, the service organization which holds several annual events to help those less fortunate.

In the 2008- 2009 school year, Carol and her club took on the additional task of sponsoring Samuel Clemens’ blood drives. The first year the Key Club was in charge, they held five blood drives and received 349 donations.

This newer service venture soon became very personal. An MRI in June 2009 revealed that a back injury – from an accident Carol suffered a decade ago – demanded immediate attention. With barely any time to think about it, on
July 2, surgeons began an operation which removed two disks and fused three vertebrae.

Some spinal procedures have the potential for significant loss of blood. In Carol’s case, two units of blood were transfused to replace what was lost during surgery and allowed the operation to reach a successful and safe conclusion.

“I was so glad somebody had donated blood.” Then she joked, “And I was glad that I had been a donor, so I didn’t feel so guilty about using blood.”

Carol continues to teach at Samuel Clemens and remains involved with her students. She says, “These kids have a heart to help other people. These are wonderful young people – the greatest.”

Carol herself is an example of the truth: “Donate blood! You never know when you or someone you love may need it.”