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Broncos' Simms Encourages Blood Donation

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Oct 12, 2009 7:14 am US/Mountain

Broncos' Simms Encourages Blood Donation

Written by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith

Reporting
Jim Benemann
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) ― Backup Broncos quarterback Chris Simms recently took some time out of practice at Dove Valley to sit down with CBS4's Jim Benemann to
talk about the importance of blood donation.

"Chris, for someone who's been through what you've been through what was your first thought when you were contacted for being apart of Drive for Life?" Benemann asked Simms.

"That's my first initial thought is just get involved," Simms responded.

Simms will be among the dozens of Bronco players who will be signing autographs and meeting with fans at Drive for Life, the state's largest single-day blood drive. For the last 12 years, the Broncos and Bonfils Blood Center have been putting on this blood drive at Invesco Field at Mile High.

"I think a lot of people around the whole country don't really realize how important donating blood is. I took it for granted until I needed it to help me," Simms told CBS4.

Simms needed nearly a dozen units of blood during emergency surgery in September of 2006. He was quarterback for the Tampa Bay Bucaneers at the time. In a game against the Carolina Panthers, Simms took a hit that ruptured his spleen. He played the rest of the game but his abdomen was filling up with blood.

"I lost somewhere between 7 and 9 pints of blood," he remembered.

He credits the anonymous men and women who made blood donations for saving his life.

"If it's not for the blood donations, I don't make it and that's as simple as it is," Simms explained.

In the years since his surgery, Simms has become an advocate for blood donation -- making many donations himself.

"Just something I like to do because it helped me and then just encourage other people to do it, so hopefully we can help some other people."

"Chris, there will be people who see this and say 'I want to help out because Chris Simms said it would be a good idea.' But let's face it, there's something about donating blood, it's very anonymous. You don't know who you're going to help," said Benemann.

"So you donate blood you might not ever meet the person you really helped out," Simms responded.

"I guess you never know when it could be someone that you do know," added Benemann.

"I never thought it would be me that needed it. That's for sure," Simms said.

It's because of that kindness of strangers that Simms is here to play another day.

"I'm grateful beyond words. I wouldn't be here playing football. I wouldn't be a father for my little girl, Charlotte, or husband to my wife," Simms said.

Additional Resources:

Drive for Life XII is the state's largest single day blood drive. Bonfils Blood Center teams up with the Denver Broncos to host the drive at Invesco Field at Mile High. Drive for Life XII is Tuesday, Oct. 13tfrom 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and includes autographs from Bronco players, free stadium food, and a variety of giveaways and entertainment. For the first time this year Bonfils will be offering blood typing and double red cell donation opportunities in addition to traditional blood donations.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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