In 1973, while living at Sancta Maria in Ripa, Sister Joan Frey participated in a blood drive being held at the former Notre Dame College, St. Louis. She gave at the drive the next year, and the year after that too.

“I don’t remember what spurred me to give the first time, except others were doing it,” said Sister Joan.

In the next years, the needs of her ministry work would then take her to Los Angeles, Quincy, Illinois, back to St. Louis and then all the way to Rome, where she served as secretary to the SSND General Superior from 1998-2003. Upon her return to the U.S., she took on an administrative role for NAMA (North American Major Area) Coordinating Center in Chicago.

The year 2019 finally found her back in the St. Louis area and living at the Ripa campus. When she heard Notre Dame High School was hosting a blood drive, she headed over to resume her donations. While completing her intake questionnaire, the nurse flagged the fact she had lived outside the country – her ministry in Rome – and she was not allowed to give that day. An official letter arrived a few months later indicating that she could never donate again as she had lived in Italy during an outbreak of mad cow disease in the country.

Then one day, about a year later, a new letter arrived.

“I got a letter saying their guidelines had changed, so now I could give,” said Sister Joan. “I thought, ‘Great, I guess I can start giving.’  So, I did.”

In February 2021, she began what would become a regular schedule of whole blood donations, eventually totaling some 20 donations. She soon received yet another letter, this time suggesting that she might be a good candidate for platelet donation.

“Donating platelets takes a lot longer,” says Sister Joan. “You can give whole blood in about 15-20 minutes; platelets take an hour or more. The blood goes out, platelets are removed, and the rest of the blood is returned.”

Sister Joan began donating platelets in July 2024, and to date, has given platelets 11 times. In addition, she has helped with other more specialized donations such as plasma and red blood cells.

“I found out platelets are very helpful for people after chemotherapy or certain surgeries,” says Sister Joan.

According to redcrossblood.org, platelets have a “shelf life” of only five days. Red blood cells can be saved for up to 42 days, while plasma can be frozen for a year.

The need for all blood types and products is always there and can be elevated as a result of natural disasters or other times of need.

Sister Joan has stepped up to field requests for additional donations, including recently when bad weather prompted others to cancel their appointments. As she lives near the donation center, she was able to still make the trip in.

Sister Joan maintains a daily work schedule at Sancta Maria in Ripa as well. She supports the administrative offices by fielding online requests for individuals seeking information about sisters, typically former teachers. Some of these requests go back to students looking for SSND teachers they had in the 1960s, but even so far back as to the 50s. She averages 30 inquiries a month but sometimes responds to as many as 50.

When asked how she might encourage others to donate, especially those with a fear of needles, her advice is “don’t look.”

“Think of what you are doing, the good you are doing, she says. “It’s just that little stick, not pain, and the rest of the process is not painful. It’s motivating to me that even when I’m sitting there doing the platelets, and that takes a while, I see someone else comes in, and then another person comes in to donate. It’s motivating to me to see how many other people come in and are also generous in giving their blood.”

She continues, “I am grateful I can give. There is a great need and because I have given so often, I am conscious of that great need. I feel it is a way of carrying out our charism of taking care of others. I have something they need; I am happy to be able to do it.”