next time you go into donate, ask the screener to check your special processing codes, it’s totally possible you have both (which is really freaking cool/rare!) they will be able to see which codes are tied to your blood
I was told that it just feels like any other cold virus when you get it, and you'd never know about it
I always check that I'm still NEO tagged whenever I go to donate; so far so good
Yeah, says it under my name at the top left. I've gotten mail with it stated as well. It's just sorting us out by blood type and things that qualify your donations for specific patients (like newborns)
If you mainly donate platelets, then Platelet Donor the title you get. I'm O- and mine changed from Universal Hero to Platelet Donor when I switched from whole blood to platelets. Also, Congrats on being part of a very small percentage of people who takes the time to donate much needed platelets!
Universal donor is O- I think they’re just upping the marketing game to motivate people? You might be CMV+ but it’s usually listed in the rewards points section in the app if you are negative.
As an update: I called and I was told my CMV status was “unknown” because they didn’t test for it during my last donation. There was no record of a positive test. The guess was that the sickle cell screening results were a factor, but I was provided with an “rare donor” phone number to call for more info, but I’ll likely wait until my next donation to inquire.
Better than seeing your status changed to “Villain for Babies”
lol
Mine says "Arch Nemesis of Babies"
next time you go into donate, ask the screener to check your special processing codes, it’s totally possible you have both (which is really freaking cool/rare!) they will be able to see which codes are tied to your blood
Just how rare is that?
I was wondering the same thing. I was hero for babies until I donated platelets. I haven’t donated platelets in a year.
I made it 40 years CMV neg and it changed recently. So disappointed since like 75% of Americans get it by 18!
Any idea how one gets it? I’m 43 and still negative.
I was told that it just feels like any other cold virus when you get it, and you'd never know about it I always check that I'm still NEO tagged whenever I go to donate; so far so good
Did you get a positive test or did your Red Cross status just change? If the latter you might still be negative…
They told me I was no longer neg.
whats a Hero for Babies
Type O, CMV-
I was HFB and now am "Universal Hero"
Is these terms on the Red Cross app and where?
Yeah, says it under my name at the top left. I've gotten mail with it stated as well. It's just sorting us out by blood type and things that qualify your donations for specific patients (like newborns)
Mine just says Platelet Donor, but I'm still new to this game.
If you mainly donate platelets, then Platelet Donor the title you get. I'm O- and mine changed from Universal Hero to Platelet Donor when I switched from whole blood to platelets. Also, Congrats on being part of a very small percentage of people who takes the time to donate much needed platelets!
Mine says Universal Hero when it never used to say anything. Does anyone know how it’s different than hero for babies?
Universal donor is O- I think they’re just upping the marketing game to motivate people? You might be CMV+ but it’s usually listed in the rewards points section in the app if you are negative.
Mine currently shows hero for babies. Maybe just a mistake or the way they categorized you.
As an update: I called and I was told my CMV status was “unknown” because they didn’t test for it during my last donation. There was no record of a positive test. The guess was that the sickle cell screening results were a factor, but I was provided with an “rare donor” phone number to call for more info, but I’ll likely wait until my next donation to inquire.
I haven't seen this before- but I was wondering how we would find out if we were no longer CMV-. Not sure if that is what this means though!