‘This is a Way I Can Give Back’: Mother Thanks Community for Help During Husband’s Medical Battle by Donating Blood

By: Nicole Roschella

Nicole Ball’s world changed in October 2021 when her husband was diagnosed with heart failure.

“He was not feeling right. We took him to the emergency room and a day later, we have a diagnosis of heart failure,” Ball said. “It took my feet out from under me. You hear ‘heart failure’ and you automatically think the worse.” 

Her husband Cliff had been the sole provider for their family of 7 for the past 12 years, running a snow removal business in the Harrisburg area. That all changed with his diagnosis, which hospitalized him multiple times. 

"When we were in the hospital with him, a social worker came into the room and told us he’s not covered by insurance at all... for anything,” Ball said, “so now we have tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills on top of him not being able to work.”

Thankfully, Ball’s family, friends and entire community have stepped up to help. 

“I get a little emotional about it because I never realized how many people were there for us. Some of them don’t even know us,” Ball said. 

A friend set up a GoFundMe for Cliff's medical bills and people generously delivered holiday meals and other gifts to the Ball family’s home. 

“Our kids’ entire Christmas... we didn’t pay a penny. And they had one of the best Christmases they’ve had in a while,” Ball said. 

Ball felt the need to repay the people who cared for her family, but she did not have the financial means to do so. 

“I was struggling with the fact that so many people were giving to us, and I couldn’t give anything,” Ball said. 

Soon after, she saw a Facebook post about a local Red Cross blood drive. 

“I thought, you know what, I need to do this,” Ball said. “This is a way I can give back, and it’s literally costing me nothing to do it. I laid on a table for five minutes and I can help save more than one life. When you think about it in terms of saving someone, that’s where it gets me.” 

Meanwhile, doctors still cannot figure out why her husband’s heart is failing. 

“Cliff hasn’t been hospitalized since mid-November, but the medicines that doctors are trying aren’t working. The next step is a heart transplant if we can’t get these meds to work,” Ball said. 

Now, she is ready to schedule her next blood donation, just 8 weeks after her last appointment. 

“February 24th is the day I’m able to donate again,” Ball said. “I’m already making plans!” 

0. Make an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).