American Red Cross

My husband is trying to do a blood donation at your Sonora, CA location. It is 11:09am on Friday, July 2023.

From the moment we walked in the staff member, Heather, has been argumentative and rude. My husband wanted to do a double red. She said they do not do that at this location. Ok, that’s fine but how come no one called us back to tell us that as we did leave a phone message. Heather then proceeded to argue with me, in front of other people no less, that I could not have left a message as this location does not have a phone. I finally had to show her the listing for the location that showed a number, at which time she stated that they have it but they don’t answer it.

The next issue was that I was assisting my husband reading the check in literature to him. She said we could not do that. I advised her that I was his primary caregiver and under the Americans with Disabilities Act this is a covered activity. Heather said the ADA does not apply here and that if he could not read it himself that she had to read it to him.

I tried again, unsuccessfully, to explain the ADA to her and why I need to be the one to read it to him. It’s more than just reading it to him, she needs to know how to explain things to him in a way that he can receive it and she most definitely does not have that knowledge. She still refused to allow me, the primary caregiver, to assist my husband. This is a clear violation of the ADA and this woman could have cared less.

My husband is fine cognitively, however, he was bedridden for a number of years and during that time was reduced to communicating with one or two words and I would figure out the rest. He is no longer bedridden and again, cognitively fine, but the communication is a tad behind, especially when it comes to written words, he has a 96% deficit in that area. Therefore, I read to him and he gets it just fine and then I elaborate in a way he will understand if necessary. All of this was denied by Heather today. It was embarrassing and frustrating and absolutely a violation of my husbands rights under the ADA and I want something done about it.