What if you were told one day that you had a rare blood disorder that only affects 3 cases per million people? This was the case for Janice Weaver, Director of Community Relations for the City of Houston, as she was diagnosed with TTP (Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia Purpura), a rare life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA).
When she first found out she had the blood disorder from her doctor, her reaction was, “Okay, I have it, can you treat it?” Weaver had signs of a stroke as well as tremors, which if not treated, TTP can cause strokes or early death. The reason she was having these issues was because “the blood had depleted out of my body,” she said. The doctors had to give her an implanted port so they could start the process of giving her the plasma freeze treatment.
Instead of looking at her diagnosis as a negative thing, she took it as “God knowing I would do something with it,” she said, which is why she created One Body Networking, which is a foundation that works to save lives through blood donations. “That is the reason I started the blood drives since I was at Methodist Willowbrook, during the whole course of that time of getting all the transfusions, they never once asked me or the family to try to figure out how to get the blood back into their bank assistance.” Weaver didn’t know where the blood was coming from, especially since she was receiving 15 units a day, and she wanted to pay it forward.
The name One Body Networking is biblical and is derived from a scripture in Romans that says, “We’re many members, but one body.” She further added, “Through the process of doing the blood drives, it’s always been a connection with somebody. Texas Women Empowerment Center is the one that loaned me their building the first time that I did my first blood drive with them…And the different partners coming in, so it just made sense to say, one body, one body network, and women and members, but one body… everybody has a role.”
Recently, the network celebrated ten years, and has received a great amount of support from colleges, churches, and a host of other individuals and organizations. One Body Networking also received the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center Small Hero Award. The organization went up against the Jewish Community Center as well as the Houston Museum of Natural Science, so winning that award was a big achievement. One Body Networking also made the calendar for the month of February for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center’s 2023 calendar.
There are many stigmas that can come with donating blood, but Weaver wants everyone to know that one donor saves three lives and that you shouldn’t be afraid to give blood. “It’s in your blood to save a life, and you have to have it in your heart to want to save a life.” One Body Networking has saved over 1500 lives and continues to save many more. Even through COVID, One Body Networking was still saving lives when many individuals were afraid to give blood during that time.
In addition to saving lives through blood donations, One Body Networking also has a scholarship program. “People couldn’t donate blood, so they started donating money, she said,” and last year they gave out nine $500 scholarships and two $750 scholarships.
One Body Networking will be celebrating 10 years in September, and Weaver is so proud of the work that she and her team has accomplished over the decade. “I’m humble and I’m grateful that I’ve had this opportunity. God has put me on a platform that I never even dreamt of, because being able to save a life doesn’t cost you a dime.”
If you are interested in saving a life, One Body Networking has an upcoming blood drive and back to school event that will take place on Saturday, August 19 at 8333 Sweetwater Ln, Houston TX, 77037. For more information about the event and the organization, you can visit www.onebodynetworking.org.
