FW: Success! The Red Cross has banned people with CFS from donating blood

[Guest guest]

== Success! The Red Cross has banned our blood, just like people with HIV.

==

Today, in a Friday afternoon under-the-radar " news dump " (that they

hope no one in the press corps will notice), the Red Cross National

Headquarters issued a press release: They have " deferred " (that means

banned) people with ME/CFS/XMRV from *ever* donating blood. Today's

press release, including their phone number, is found here.

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.94aae335470e233f6cf911df4318

1aa0/?vgnextoid=dc099a02fbcac210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD & vgnextchannel=00a00

628b1cde110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

I called the Red Cross media office to ask when this policy was put

in place. I was told that the woman who wrote the new policy has left

early today (how surprising!), but I was told it was some time in

October (but then they forgot to tell the world about this ban until

today?).

Yes, this press release is the first most of the public will be

hearing about this ground-breaking ban.

Our video and email campaign that we started only 4 days ago (found

here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DSzTCYPAvs & feature=mfu_in_order & list=UL

may have contributed to this success, but there were simultaneous

campaigns and also earlier advocacy efforts, too, including a

Facebook campaign. So this was likely a group effort and success --

as it should be!

A big fat CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WHO WROTE THE RED CROSS.

Rivka