Blood Donation Gave me a Second Chance When I Thought I Had None

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. For Jamilah Bourdon, that need became urgent on a snowy February morning in 2021.

Just five minutes from her job in New Jersey, her only route — a bridge blanketed in nearly four feet of snow — left her no choice but to ride her bike in the lane used by cars. As she edged along the bridge’s perimeter, an 18-wheeler failed to see her. In a split second, she was hit, thrown to the ground, and woke up thinking she had died.

She hadn’t — but just barely.

It took five blood transfusions and 13 surgeries to keep her alive.

“I was saved by blood transfusions,” Bourdon reflects. “Feeling that bag of blood going into my veins, knowing it came from someone else—it felt unreal.”

A Recovery Shaped by Resilience and Metallica

Bourdon’s recovery journey was long and grueling, complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic’s strict hospital visitation rules. Isolated and in pain, she found strength in unexpected places—especially music.

The one song she couldn’t get out of her head? “One” by Metallica.

“It was like the universe preparing me for what was to come,” she tells BlackDoctor.org. “That song described everything I felt—trapped in my body, in pain, unable to communicate.”

The song, inspired by the film “Johnny Got His Gun”, tells the story of a soldier who loses his limbs and senses but remains mentally aware. For Bourdon, it was a mirror to her own experience—concussed, medicated, and struggling to express her pain.

“I would cry in the hospital and say, ‘I want to die.’ I felt trapped. But that song helped me feel understood. It gave voice to what I couldn’t say out loud,” she adds.

Coming Full Circle: Donating Blood at a Metallica Drive

Years later, Bourdon had a full-circle moment when she had the opportunity to donate blood at a drive organized by Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation.

“Metallica’s platform reaches millions. To see them using it to promote blood donation meant everything. It blended my survival, my passion for music, and my mission to give back,” Bourdon shares.

The Red Cross and Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation partnership has already collected more than 1,250 blood donations, with a few more blood drives scheduled in June:

Santa Clara, California: June 18
Denver, Colorado: June 23 and June 24

For Bourdon, the act of donating blood isn’t just symbolic—it’s deeply personal. It’s a way of honoring the anonymous donors who saved her life.

“One person’s act may not change the world, but it can change someone’s world. That’s powerful,” she adds.

Why Blood Donation Matters Now More Than Ever

Bourdon’s story underscores the critical need for blood donations. Especially amid rising natural disasters and hospital shortages, the call for donors is urgent.

She also celebrates changes in policy, such as the lifting of restrictions that once prevented many LGBTQ+ individuals from donating blood.

“It’s crucial that everyone who’s able to donate, does. If you’re eligible, check when you can give again—and talk about your experience to encourage others,” Bourdon says.

A Life Re-centered on Purpose

Though she had long been involved in community organizing, Bourdon says the accident deepened her understanding of purpose.

“This accident reminded me that life isn’t promised. If you’re doing something you love—especially if it makes the world better—then you’re doing something truly meaningful,” she shares.

Now, she continues to advocate, donate, and volunteer—whether at food banks, blood drives, or awareness campaigns.

Marking World Blood Donor Day

This June 14—World Blood Donor Day— Bourdon encourages everyone to take part:

“Whether you donate blood, volunteer, or just share a story—do something. Your individual act could save a life,” she says.

Final Words

Through pain, music, survival, and giving back, Bourdon has transformed a traumatic accident into a mission of hope.

“I’m just one person,” she concludes, “but when many individuals come together with the same purpose—we can change lives.”

How You Can Help

The Red Cross encourages all eligible donors to make a blood donation appointment using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

With rising natural disasters and hospital shortages, the need for blood donors is urgent and ongoing.