A Vitalant blood drive coordinator and 28-time donor, Barbara P., has been announced the winner of a 2024 VW Jetta S, donated by the Valley Volkswagen dealers, in the “Summer Drive to Save Lives” giveaway.
She was one of 10 finalists who gave blood or hosted a successful blood drive last summer in the state of Arizona. They all gathered on Oct. 9 for the grand prize ceremony at Vitalant’s Southwest Division headquarters in Tempe. 
In a “Deal or No Deal” game show format, case 9 turned out to be Barbara’s lucky number at the grand prize ceremony. She was surprised and elated when she turned the ignition in the one car set up to start. “Wow, that was unexpected,” exclaimed Barbara. At the ceremony, Barbara also learned that the red blood cells from her recent donation went to help a man in his 60s who was suffering from kidney issues and anemia in a northwestern Arizona hospital.
A human anatomy and physiology teacher at Centennial High School in Peoria, AZ, Barbara is the faculty advisor for HOSA, an organization that empowers students to become leaders in the medical community. Through HOSA, Barbara also serves as the school's primary blood drive coordinator. Last school year, she guided the student committee to organize three successful drives that brought in 160 donations.
Barbara has been a blood donor since she was 18 years old. Her lifelong commitment to blood donation was reinforced 25 years ago when her 11-year-old daughter suffered complications from a tonsillectomy and required two blood transfusions. "At that point, I realized from personal experience how donating blood saves lives," Barbara reflected. "It saved my daughter!"
The grand prize ceremony flag was dropped by 2-time leukemia survivor Kristin Gonzales, who was at the event to tell the finalists how she survived with the help of 471 blood and platelet donors. “Blood donors saved my life,” Kristin said. “Thanks to them, I have the chance to live out my dreams.” Grateful for the lifesaving transfusions she received, Kristin went on to become a registered nurse.
“It was so rewarding to see Barbara win the Volkswagen, especially since she is such a dedicated coordinator, blood donor and medical teacher,” said Sid Lewis, vice president for Vitalant’s Southwest Division. “Blood drive coordinators are the hardest working volunteers to maintain our blood supply.”