In February 2005, Nannie Pickens experienced what she thought was a heart attack. Blood tests revealed that her enzymes were elevated and EKG results were abnormal. "At the time I didn't know what was wrong. I had trouble breathing," said Nannie, who was 55 years old at the time.

A heart catheterization was scheduled to check for blockages in her blood vessels. But when an artery seal broke during the procedure, Nannie suffered an unexpected loss of blood. She had to have a blood transfusion. When she awoke, she was surprised to learn that she had needed blood. "What if the blood had not been available when I needed it?" she said "I was so thankful." Meanwhile, Nannie continued to have breathing difficulties and would eventually learn that the real problem was lung cancer. Fortunately, with treatment, Nannie successfully recovered. With improved health, Nannie found a new outlook. "I started thinking about how I was living," she said. "I lost weight and started taking better care of myself." Her experiences also motivated her to become an advocate for blood donation, talking specifically to the African American community.

Today, Nannie speaks out about the need for more African American donors. She talks about how rare they are. Only 7.5 percent of them donate blood in Greenville and the Upstate. And she personally thanks donors whenever she meets them. Recently, she helped sponsor a blood drive at her church, Jesus Is Lord Ministry, in Easley. "Keep it up - it's a blessing, a true blessing," Nannie told donors who took time out of their busy schedules to come in and donate. "I enjoy life now and I'm thankful for every day."

Nannie is a "parish nurse" in her church, helping take care of the elderly. She also teaches children's church and loves to spend time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. "I have one grandaughter who is 22 and she donates blood regularly. I also have a grandson who is 20, and right now I'm encouraging him to donate. My great grandson will learn to give when it's time. It is a worthy cause, and it doesn't cost anything to donate."