Amber Ziegler
Amber Ziegler has been donating blood for more than two decades. Through a closer personal connection, she knows how vital blood can be for someone in their time of need. Hoxworth Blood Center is thankful to have donors like Amber who are loyal to the mission.
“Because it’s the cool thing to do.”
Dating back to when she was a senior in high school, Amber recalls her first blood donation well. She was living in northeast Ohio near Youngstown when there was a blood drive at her high school. She remembers signing up because only the older kids were eligible to donate, and it made her feel special. Despite the fear of the unknown, she says the donation went very well and she was hooked!
Amber continued to donate in college when there were blood drives on campus. While working as a correspondent for a local newspaper, she was assigned to write a story about blood donation. Amber says through her own research on this story, she learned a lot of things she didn’t know. She says that only served as more encouragement to continue to donate.
A Personal Connection to Blood Transfusions
Amber moved to Cincinnati in 2010 and eventually connected with Hoxworth. She quickly became a regular at Hoxworth giving the gift of life on a routine basis. Amber says she witnessed the power of blood transfusions while her husband went through critical surgery in 2019. He received a liver transplant at UC Health which often requires blood transfusions from Hoxworth blood donors. Amber’s husband received blood before, during and even after the transplant surgery.
The blood was always there. What would we have done if the blood wasn’t available? I don’t want anyone to experience that, and I have a way to help.
Amber Ziegler
Did you Know?
- An organ transplant recipient may need up to 40 red blood cell units, 30 platelet units, and 25 plasma units
- Hoxworth provides all blood products to local hospitals for transplants
- Hoxworth helped facilitate 642 organ transplants in 2024
Amber says she continues to spread the word about her husband’s procedure and his need for blood as often as she can. She says the more people that know how vital blood can be for someone in need, the more likely they are to roll up their sleeve and donate.
“You never know when it will be you or a loved one who will need blood--don't you want it to be there?”
Thankfully her husband is healthy now and wishes he could donate blood. Due to the medications he must take after the transplant, he will never be able to donate blood. Amber says this gives her even more reason to be a regular donor – to help people that are in need and those that are ineligible to donate.
Remaining a regular donor
Amber says she knows for some people they simply can’t donate blood for various reasons. She hopes her own donations can go a long way to help the blood supply in the Greater Cincinnati area. Like many people, Amber doesn’t like needles and looks away during her donations. But she knows the pinch is worth it to save someone’s life.
“It's like knowing the difference between a pinch and a broken bone--some things just aren't that big of a deal. Before you know it, you'll be saying, "That's it? What was I so afraid of?!"
To date, Amber has donated 62 times totaling 7 gallons with Hoxworth. She says her goal is to donate within one week of eligibility whenever possible so she can give the most blood over time. Whole blood donors are eligible every eight weeks to donate blood. Each donation can save up to three lives.
If you would like to be a #HoxworthHero like Amber, you can find a blood drive or a neighborhood donor center near you! Follow this link to schedule your donation today!