Patricia West had a rare blood type. She was constantly being asked to donate blood by her local blood bank. Patricia eventually moved from her home state of Florida to Michigan. There she underwent simple surgery. But while in surgery, she began to hemorrhage. A call went out for blood, but none was to be found. In all of Michigan, there was no blood of Patricia’s type to be found. A desperate call was sent to the National Rare Donor Registry. Soon they responded that they had found the needed blood in Florida. the only compatible blood available was Patricia’s own that she had donated several months before. Patricia West lives today because she gave her own blood. Her willingness to give her blood to save others literally saved her own life.