Volunteer Spotlight: Susan Dombrowski

by Cliff Morgan, American Red Cross

In Franklin, Connecticut, nestled in beautiful New London County, volunteer Susan Dombrowski asked this simple question: What comes to your mind when someone says American Red Cross? Do you think of hurricanes and tornados? Do you think of CPR? Or blood drives?

When Susan retired three years ago, she wanted her free time to be meaningful; interestingly, making it so meant answering her own question, for she understood the importance of blood and the Red Cross. Susan recently divulged that she has Essential Thrombocythemia – a myeloproliferative neoplasm disease. Quite simply, her bone marrow produces too many platelets and while not debilitating, that renders her ineligible to donate blood. Rather than staying around the house with Tom, her husband of 32 years, and Penny, the family cat, she knitted her aspirations together with the Red Cross need and became a Blood Donor Ambassador, volunteering as a friendly face at local blood drives. 

A natural at being an ambassador, Susan worked as a Director of Marketing and currently serves as the President of the Southeastern Connecticut Women’s Network. With the Red Cross, being part of a team is important and volunteering as a Blood Donor Ambassador is just one critical role. Susan knows that the volunteers are just as important as the donors. To that end, she donates her time and effort to the fixed-site donation center in Norwich. Regular as clockwork, she volunteers about once a week, and has now logged over 80 shifts. Susan said it quite eloquently, “It fills my heart to be able to do good. It does not feel like work when I get to make my own schedule!”

Imagine the impact that a volunteer such as Susan makes. One donation shifts per week, assisting 20 individuals, multiplied by 50 weeks equals 1,000 opportunities annually to see, hear and understand the mission of the Red Cross. Considering that each pint of blood can help save up to three lives, the impact is especially impressive. The numbers boggle the mind when you consider the many Blood Donor Ambassadors volunteering nationwide daily. The opportunities that the Red Cross has!

Susan is proud to be part of the American Red Cross. When she sees the impact of the Red Cross on a global scale, she has first-hand knowledge of just how much volunteers are making a difference.  When she sees the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement involved in building peace, she knows that all Red Cross volunteers are making a difference. If we all do our part, good work continues and lives are changed forever.

If you happen to be donating blood in eastern Connecticut and encounter a friendly face and a warm welcome, look up…it just might be Susan!