Business ProfileforThe Blood Connection, Inc.

This morning, I went to donate blood, not for the rewards but out of principle. I completed the screening questionnaire honestly, and my donation appointment was scheduled without issues. However, upon arrival, I felt discriminated against by a staff member who gave me prejudiced looks. I tried to ignore it, but when I sat down to donate and showed my ID, he asked how long I'd been in the U.S. I told him two years and mentioned I'm from Brazil. He then said I couldn't donate because Brazil is considered a malaria region and I needed to have been in the U.S. for the last three years. This was both ignorant and unfair, especially since regions in the southern U.S. are also subtropical and can have malaria. He even questioned how I was allowed to donate, despite my honesty in the screening. It was a disappointing experience, made worse by the fact that a new trainee was witnessing this behavior. It reminded me of the deep-seated racism and hypocrisy in this country, a nation built on the oppression of Native Americans and the enslavement of Africans, yet still perpetuating discrimination. The lack of respect shown to someone trying to save lives was appalling. When I called customer service, I found that racism and prejudice seem to rank just as high as money in importance here. The U.S. blood donation system, where people donate primarily for incentives like a $70 Chick-fil-A gift card, contrasts sharply with Brazil, where donations are made out of goodwill through the public health system (SUS). Nothing in the questionnaire or registration process indicated that my recent stay in Brazil would disqualify me. I wouldn’t have wasted my time if I had known, only to be treated with such bias. The Blood Connection's complaint hotline doesn’t work, going straight to voicemail, which shows a lack of accountability. This experience highlights serious flaws and biases in the blood donation process in the U.S., especially with The Blood Connection.