Miracles | Dub Gentry

It was Fall 2004, the beginning of a new school year for first grade teacher Angela Burford. As always, Angie was looking forward to another year of educating young people at Logansport Elementary School. She didn’t pay much attention to a little bump on her back at first, but as time passed, Angie knew something wasn’t right. She just wasn’t feeling well and getting worse every day. A trip to the doctor confirmed that Angie was indeed quite ill with a bacterial infection.

The young wife and mother of two came close to death as the infection raged. Angie was admitted to the hospital where intensive treatment began. Part of her treatment included numerous transfusions of blood products, primarily platelets and plasma.

The tight-knit Logansport community responded to Angie’s needs, organizing blood drives throughout DeSoto Parish. Blood donors, including entire families, happily waited in line to help the beloved teacher and friend, then went out to recruit others to donate. The concerned, caring citizens of DeSoto Parish donated 264 units of blood products for Angie and patients like her.

Now healthy and back at work, teaching her beloved first grader, Angie is committed to educating others about the importance of being a regular blood donor. “If the blood had not been available, already tested and ready to be transfused, I wouldn’t be here. My children would have no mother, and my husband would have been left to raise them alone,” says Angie. “I appreciate every single person who stepped forward to help me. I’m alive today because of people who know how important it is to give blood. My family and I are so very thankful to these caring, thoughtful individuals.”