Many years ago, while I was donating a pint of blood, a nurse said I had blood that was good for babies but did not explain further. I figured it was just a way to make me feel good about giving, but recently I found out just how special my blood is. I noticed a smiley face and the word "peds" highlighted at the top of my donation form and searched the Internet for what might mean. Turns out I have never been exposed to cytomegalovirus (CMV) which 85% of people get by the age of 40. Babies needing blood should only receive blood from donors who are CMV-negative (i.e. me), and since I have an "O" blood type (O+), I'm part of a special group – Heroes for Babies. Read more about it at this link.
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