A Father's Dedication to Blood Donation and Giving Back at Equifax

Steven Mannino, Sr. Director of Data Acquisition and Execution at Equifax Workforce Solutions, started his blood donation journey early in his career, but it wasn’t until he started a family with his wife that the importance of blood donation really hit home for him. 

Two of his three sons, Robert and Kevin, were born with beta thalassemia major, a hereditary blood disorder that affects the body's ability to produce hemoglobin and healthy red blood cells. The condition requires lifelong blood transfusions and monitoring of hemoglobin levels. Every four weeks, his sons go in for a transfusion. 

“If it wasn’t for people donating blood, my sons would not be here.”

Did you know that donated blood can only be stored for 42 days? According to the Red Cross, a healthy donor may donate every 56 days. 

His children’s lives depend on continuous blood donations. That is why Steven continues to donate 30 years later. Science and technology have come a long way, but for the first ten years of his sons' lives, Steven kept a list of designated donors from family and friends. He knows firsthand the importance of ongoing blood donations and the impact they can have on families.

“Despite their illness, my wife and I have always raised our sons to not feel or see themselves as different and to accept and adjust to the challenges that come with having beta thalassemia major. We are proud of their resilience and how they’ve dealt with and continue to adapt to changing protocols associated with their chronic illness. It’s so important that they follow and stay compliant with their regiment - it’s critical to their health.” 

His eldest son, Robert, was inspired by his own experiences to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. He is now the CTO of Sanguina, Inc., a digital health and biotech company that has developed a non-invasive app called Ruby. 

Ruby is a wellness app that estimates the likelihood of having iron deficiency anemia and tracks overall blood health through its patented fingernail selfie technology. It has made anemia testing more accessible and has impacted countless lives.

Steven shared that he wants his and his family’s story to inspire and help spread awareness so that other families who may be going through something similar know they are not alone.

His story is also a powerful reminder of the importance of blood donation. It is a testament to the fact that one person's generosity can truly make a difference in the lives of others.

Equifax is a proud partner and supporter of the Red Cross. The Equifax Red Cross team facilitates blood drives throughout the year, making it easy and convenient for employees to donate. We are committed to giving back to our community and making a positive impact.

Learn about available opportunities at Equifax.