American Red Cross Blood Drive - Saturday, August 22nd 7:30a - 1:00p - In honor of Randi Helmkamp
Please join the Valley Community Blood Drive, this Saturday, August 22nd from 7:30am to 1:00pm at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 115 Meigs St, in honor of Randi Helmkamp. Please visit redcrossblood.org and enter VALLEY to schedule an appointment. Questions? Contact Sharon at 402-669-3588 or sharonjanovsky@gmail.com. Those giving blood August 1-31, 2026 will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card by email.
My name is Randi Helmkamp. I was born October 23, 1991 in Portland, Oregon. I have a heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, and with that condition, I have a heart murmur or irregular heartbeat. At 4 months old, I underwent heart surgery to patch a hole in my heart. During the procedure, I received blood. I would not have received that blood without programs like the Red Cross's blood drive. We don't know exactly how much blood I received, but given that I was only four months old at the time, we can only guess that I received maybe a pint. There wasn't time for my mom, who is the same 0- blood type to donate, so I had to be given previously donated blood from someone else. I am in a wheelchair due to a physical disability called Spina Bifida, which means I am paralyzed from the waist down and unable to walk. Currently I work at the Twin Rivers YMCA at the welcome desk and occasionally workout there when the mood hits on day I'm not scheduled. While I was more frequently going to the Y before I started working there, I had made it my personal goal to make it across the walking bridge without any assistance. It tool< a little time to be able to make the steep incline without any assistance but when I did do it myself for the first time, I was very proud of myself and continue to cross it on my own on the nice weather days when I want to go to the Y either for work or for a workout. My hobbies include reading (a newer hobby I've acquired), crocheting, cooking, diamond painting, listening to music and experimenting with/doing makeup (which I took an online course to get a certificate in).