June 9 is both of my parents’ birthday. My father passed in 2018 from a blood infection, and my mother passed in January 2026 from cancer. In her final 29 days, she received two blood transfusions that gave her the energy to be present, alert, and beside me on my wedding day at bedside. In their honour, donating blood every June 9 will become my yearly birthday tradition. I’m deeply grateful to those who gave when my family needed it most. Now, it’s my turn to give back and celebrate their lives through an act of kindness.
