ASU student receives Red Cross Youth Volunteer Award for outstanding service

Sophia Fasani was born prematurely, weighing in at 4 pounds and without a heartbeat.

Her mother had received more than 100 units of O-negative blood to sustain both of their lives during the pregnancy since she has Thalassemia Intermedia.

Fasani, now a junior at Arizona State University, says she and her mother owe their lives to the generosity of blood donors.

“Without the generous donations from donors, my mother and I might not be alive,’’ she said.

As a way to give back to the community, Fasani helped start a Red Cross Club at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix when she was a sophomore, and she helped organize Red Cross blood drives. She has been in the ASU Red Cross Club since her freshman year, and she has raised awareness about how to help the community through campus blood drives.

“Red Cross blood drives help the community meet the constant need for blood and allow me to give like previous donors gave to my mom and me,’’ said Fasani, who is co-president of the ASU American Red Cross Club.

In addition to blood drives, the ASU Red Cross Club holds disaster-relief fundraisers, marches in the Veterans Day Parade and assists during the “Sound the Alarm” campaign to install smoke detectors in low-income developments. The club also created a water carnival, “Wash Out Measles,’’ to raise money during the Measles and Rubella Initiative.

To honor Fasani’s outstanding volunteer work during the past five years, the American Red Cross Greater Phoenix Chapter is presenting her with the Youth Volunteer Award. She is among 11 Valley residents recognized at the Red Cross annual volunteer awards ceremony April 22 at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino.

Fasani, 20, is majoring in microbiology and aspires to be a physician.

“I think it is important that no matter what job I end up in, volunteering will remain a part of my life. I would encourage others to volunteer as a great way to make new friends and discover amazing ways that you can give back to our community,’’ Fasani said.

The Red Cross Greater Phoenix Chapter serves 4.3 million people across Maricopa, Pinal and Gila counties, as well as Luke Air Force Base. More than 500 adult and youth volunteers are trained to use their Red Cross skills to help save lives. Volunteers assist families during disasters including house fires, flooding and forest fires. Red Cross volunteers also train people in life-saving skills, water safety and fire safety. In addition, the Red Cross helps keep Arizona’s military families connected by relaying critical messages around the world.

For more information about volunteering, please call the Red Cross Greater Phoenix Chapter at 602-336-6660 or go to redcross.org/Phoenix.