Three weeks from today is Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to giving to charitable causes. Giving Tuesday was started back in 2012 as an effort to draw awareness to charitable giving. The idea led to the establishment of a day dedicated specifically for charitable organization giving, similar to the idea that “black Friday” or “cyber Monday” is dedicated specifically for holiday shopping.

After careful consideration of what Giving Tuesday could mean for the kids of Knowing Hope, we have decided to create the Giving Tuesday campaign: Transfusions for Tots. Transfusions for Tots is based on the need for blood transfusions for children with thalassemia. Without blood transfusions, children with transfusion dependent thalassemia will not survive. Currently, a financial barrier to transfusions exists for many families which leads to irregular transfusion care, significant disease complications, death, and a high risk for family disruption leading to the child entering into the orphanage system. We are determined to not only address the orphan crisis at it’s root by helping families remain intact, but also to ensure that children with thalassemia receive the blood transfusions they need in order to survive. Hence, Transfusions for Tots.

As we approach Giving Tuesday, would you consider giving the cost for one blood transfusion to a child in need? Although totals for the cost of blood transfusions vary depending upon a variety of factors including amount of units of blood needed, hospital location, hospital ranking, we are hoping to raise the average cost per transfusion which is $156.00, the same cost as an elegant restaurant meal or a month’s worth of Starbucks coffee.

On Giving Tuesday, we would love to raise enough to provide 100 transfusions. Would you consider remembering our kids with thalassemia and the need for blood transfusions? We are hopeful that through Transfusions for Tots we will be able to give much needed blood transfusions for kids who desperately need them.

#givingtuesday #transfusionsfortots