Louisville girl who relies on blood donations wants to play part in solving issue of lack of donors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Since the pandemic, blood donations have lagged behind demand, according to The Kentucky Blood Center. But a 13-year-old Louisville girl is trying to help change that.

At first glance, Jillian Striet appears to be a normal 13-year-old girl, with a love of stuffed animals and shoes.

Jillian Striet wants to help solve problem of lack of blood donors.jpeg — Jillian Striet relies on blood donations but also wants to help change the recent trend of lack of donors.

"I didn't feel like I do now, so it's kind of different looking back on memories like I wasn't sick then," Jillian Striet said.

Memories before being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a disease that has filled her colon with ulcers.

"She lost her color, got really pale, wasn't acting like herself at all, was complaining of an upset stomach," her mother, Jennifer Striet, said.

Since August, she's been in and out of the hospital. She missed Halloween, Thanksgiving and a lot of school.

"Other people are holding their first day of school signs and she's holding her first day of infusion sign," Jennifer Striet said.

Jillian Striet wants to help solve problem of lack of blood donors (3).jpeg — Jillian Striet relies on blood donations but also wants to help change the recent trend of lack of donors. (Submitted photo)

But the hardest part for Jillian is not being treated like a normal kid. Because of her disease, she's had 17 blood transfusions so far, none of which would be possible without blood donations.

"I'm known as the bathroom girl at my school, the sick girl, and that's really hard for me," she said.

The Kentucky Blood Center said blood donations at their locations were down 21% in December.

Jillian wants to be a part of solving that problem.

"I want to help people by taking people's blood, like working at Red Cross," she said.

For her birthday, the Red Cross even held a blood drive in her honor on Wednesday. There will also be another blood drive in her honor at the YMCA in Buckner on Feb. 13.

"Knowing that she wants to work for us, that's just going to strengthen our story and then hopefully she can continue telling her story and someone could be inspired to give blood because of her," Red Cross Communications Manager Remy Kennedy said.