Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood or platelets — a need that reaches patients in Southern Minnesota and communities such as Faribault.
Professional pickleball player and coach Matt Manasse — who has coached celebrities and professional athletes including Katie Couric, Drew Brees, Jamie Foxx and Andre Agassi — is hoping to inspire more people to roll up their sleeves through a new partnership with the American Red Cross.
The national awareness campaign launched earlier this month and will continue throughout the fall and holiday season, a time when the Red Cross says maintaining an adequate blood supply can be particularly challenging.
The need is not far from home. A Red Cross blood drive held in Faribault on Sept. 11 collected 32 units, according to the Rotary Club of Faribault's website.
For Manasse, the campaign has a personal connection. Two of his aunts are currently undergoing cancer treatment, bringing the importance of having blood readily available close to home.
"Both my aunts are going through cancer treatment right now, and after chemotherapy, having access to blood can be incredibly important to their recovery," he said. "There are so many peo...