American Red Cross Office of the President and Chief Executive Officer National Headquarters 430 17th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20006 December 9, 2016 Wade Kwon Box 13945 Birmingham, AL 35202 Dear Mr. Kwon: Thank you very much for your incredible consistency and loyalty as a selfless blood donor. Our dedicated donors are truly the lifeblood of the American Red Cross; we would be unable to carry out our humanitarian mission without compassionate and caring individuals - like you. Mr. Kwon, I also want to thank you for your letter sharing your frustrations regarding some of your recent attempts to make Power Red donations. I sincerely apologize that you did not receive a response to your original letter sent to Mr. Beddingfield. I also want to deeply apologize for your negative experiences when attempting to donate lifesaving blood products. I am delighted to know of your interest in making Power Red donations. As you are aware, during a Power Red procedure we use a special machine to allow you to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning your plasma and platelets to you. Because we draw two units of red cells, to ensure a donor's safety, the Power Red machine manufacturer requires donors to meet minimum height and weight requirements. As described in your letter, at your first attempt to make a Power Red donation - on September 25 - our staff member indicated you were not able to donate blood. To protect the safety of the donor, there is a maximum amount of blood that can be withdrawn over 365 days, which is sometimes interpreted as a maximum of 6 blood donations in a 12 month period. However, this is a general guide - and in fact, it depends on the amount of blood loss a donor has experienced during prior donations. In this instance, you should have been able to donate, and I deeply apologize that you were not able to do so. In the second donation attempt described in your letter, on October 22, you had scheduled an appointment at a church blood drive, which was cancelled shortly before the blood drive date. Unfortunately, the organizer of the drive had a personal issue that arose which led to its cancelation. The Red Cross should have done a better job of informing you of the cancelled drive, rather than relying on the blood drive organizer to do so - and I apologize for the inconvenience this caused. Later that same day, when you spoke to a Red Cross representative to arrange a donation for November 6, our organization was in the midst of transitioning between two different types of Power Red machines. The machines have slightly different eligibility requirements, which was why you received conflicting information. We now have only one machine operating in your region, so the information listed on our website at http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating- blood/eligibilirt-requirements is now correct (you must weigh at least 130 pounds and be 5V). The Red Cross representative you spoke with should not have communicated that a "special evaluation" could be obtained on site. The Power Red requirements we now have in place are standard, and there is no variance from them. Mr. Kwon, please know that the Red Cross is currently investigating additional avenues to provide consistent opportunities for our selfless blood donors to make Power Red donations - and we greatly appreciate your suggestions. In addition, if you have a smartphone, I would encourage you to download our free, blood donor app. With the app, you can find a variety of donation opportunities, keep track of your donations, and receive reminders and rewards. Just search for Red Cross Blood in your app store. Thank you once again for sharing your concerns with me, Mr. Kwon. I sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you've experienced, and I am profoundly grateful for all you do to support and advance the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross as a dedicated blood donor. Sincerely, Gail J. McGovern