Today we’d like to introduce you to Marian Garrard.
Hi Marian, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
“I remember it like it was yesterday…”
Over 40 years ago, I walked into We Are Blood for the first time. Instantly, it felt like home. Looking around the donation room, I could tell the phlebotomists and donors had built meaningful relationships – it truly felt like a family.
At just 22 years old, I decided to pursue a job in phlebotomy. I had finished training to become a certified medial assistant and wanted to improve my phlebotomy skills before becoming a nurse. As a phlebotomist, I quickly fell in love with everything about the small donor center we had at that time. I enjoyed meeting our donors, learning why they donated, and making it a personal experience for them.
Over the next 40 years, I held roles in departments across the company, from donor services to recruitment, and from the lab to purchasing; eventually, I became the director of donor services. During that time, I had the privilege of watching our single blood center in Austin grow into the multi-location, standout organization that it is today. Along the way I have been fueled by the fast-paced nature of the industry, the constant change, and even the challenges we have faced, because, at the end of the day, I know we are in it together.
It’s fantastic to look around and see the number of exceptional employees we have working at all levels of this organization. I hope to be an example for others, so they know that regardless of what department you start in within We Are Blood, the opportunity to grow and change with the organization is available to you.
Sometimes it’s the unexpected paths in life that can be most rewarding. Fortunately, I seized the opportunity that We Are Blood provided me and made it a lifelong career. My connection to We Are Blood’s mission runs deep and I am forever inspired by being able to make a difference for patients in our communities.
I am encouraged daily by the thoughtful, caring, and devoted people who work at We Are Blood, as well as our donors and volunteers who truly make all the difference. Throughout my career, I have met the most amazing, altruistic members of our community. I have created lifelong friendships. I have learned from amazing mentors and leaders before me, and I hope only to have a similar impact on those I’ve helped mentor along the way.
While I am proud of what we’ve accomplished and how far We Are Blood has come over the past four decades, our work is never done. I am excited to see what our next chapter holds!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being able to provide safe, transfusable blood products to local hospitals means adapting to ever-evolving regulations, guidelines, and deferral changes to ensure patient safety.
COVID-19 brought a lot of change during a challenging time. We saw supply chain shortages where there is no substitute for blood bags, and we still had to safely get donors through our doors to make donations to ensure we could serve our regional hospitals.
Emerging infectious diseases, like West Nile Virus and Zika, comes with different challenges as we implement new processes, procedures, and testing for blood born pathogens. And it needs to be done safely and quickly because our products go into human life.
At We Are Blood, our obstacles and challenges come from working in a highly regulated environment while also navigating the challenges of inspiring blood donors year round to fulfill our mission to provide and protect the community blood supply and save lives locally.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We Are Blood is the local, nonprofit blood center serving ten counties in Central Texas. With a mission to save lives locally, We Are Blood is proud to be the sole supplier of blood to over 50 hospitals, medical facilities, and EMS agencies. In order to serve our medical partners, we need to receive at least 200 donations per day. Every patient in need of a blood transfusion in the Central Texas region relies on We Are Blood – the donors, drive hosts, volunteers and staff who make it all possible.
In blood banking, you always have to do the right thing. You have to follow the regulations, lead by example, make sacrifices, and do what’s right for your employees, donors, volunteers, and patients.
In 2009, our organization was transitioning to a new blood bank computer system, and we needed to close down for a few days. This change was going to significantly impact our front line staff. To protect the team members who make life saving possible every day, I donated my own PTO to support those who would have had to go without pay. This wasn’t something I had to do or was asked to do. I did it because it was the right thing to do for my team.
I’m proud of my tenure and for holding a number of positions within the center. My work in donor services, components, lab, purchasing, and ultimately becoming CEO, has given me the opportunity to see things from multiple perspectives. We are constantly considering how any change to policy or benefits might impact each team member, regardless of position.
It’s important to take care of one another and treat everyone we serve like family.
What does success mean to you?
Success is never done by one person. For me, success is defined by how we as an organization meet the needs of the community. I’ve been able to help lead our teams, but it’s our teams successfully working together to ensure we are meeting the needs of our patients, even while navigating adversities, changes, and emerging challenges – shortages of supplies, dips in donations, and new diseases being discovered.
A lot of us are driven by a passion for what you do. One doesn’t spend this amount of time in a high stress environment without the drive to save lives. We develop friendships with the donors, especially our regulars. We are inspired by the people who walk through our doors, roll up their sleeves, and save the life of someone they’ve never met.
Our business is unique in the Greater Austin area, as we are the ONLY organization who manages the blood supply for 10 counties, serving over 50 hospitals, medical facilities, and EMS agencies. We operate 365 days of the year to serve our community and protect our neighbors in need.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://weareblood.org
- Instagram: @wearebloodtx – https://www.instagram.com/wearebloodtx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearebloodtx/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-blood-and-tissue-center-of-central-texas
- Twitter: https://x.com/WeAreBlood
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wearebloodtx
