How Conquering His Own Fear Made Brandon a Better Phlebotomist

“My actual reason for becoming a phlebotomist is I'm scared of needles. And no one ever helped me with my fear.” - Brandon.

Apr. 22, 2025 | Gillette, WY- When patients walk into a clinic, they’re often carrying more than just their physical ailments, they come with their fears, uncertainties, and hopes for a painless treatment.

For Brandon, addressing those fears was a personal mission born out of his own experiences.

Brandon’s start in healthcare wasn't conventional. Scared of needles himself, he initially avoided medical settings entirely. “I refused to go to the hospital. Because I knew they would stick an IV in me. And so I would just not go. I actually got appendicitis twice. Never went to the hospital. Neither of the times.”

Yet it was this fear and a push in the right direction that eventually inspired him to help others overcome theirs.

A Love Born Out Of Fear

Brandon’s start in healthcare began with a move from Texas to Colorado and a need to pay a phone bill. “I was scared of needles, but I went to a plasma center because I needed money,” he explained. Reluctantly, he walked into the plasma center, intending it to be a one-time visit, but that one visit would be all he needed.

“I had a crush on her,” Brandon admitted about Liz, the phlebotomist who would draw his blood. That crush became the motivation to return, week after week, for an entire year. Despite his phobia, Brandon requested the same phlebotomist each time, building courage to face the needle and eventually to ask her for her phone number.

After a year of plasma donations and building the courage to ask her out, Brandon finally made his move. “...but she said no,” he laughed. Though disappointed, Brandon moved back to Texas but stayed in touch with Liz as friends.

Two years of friendship, a chance at a relationship on the condition that Brandon moved closer, and many difficult choices made for both Brandon, Liz and their families, Brandon proposed. Six months after that, they were married.

Brandon’s love story didn’t just transform his personal life, but reshaped his professional journey.

Guided by Compassion

Inspired by Liz’s work as a phlebotomist, a determination to conquer his fear of needles, and a desire to help others overcome theirs, Brandon decided to become a phlebotomist.

“I was scared of needles my whole life. No one ever helped me overcome that fear, and I wanted to be the person who could do that for someone else. I let people practice on me. I was poked 158 times while donating plasma,” he revealed, an experience that gave him a deeper understanding of his patients’ anxieties.

Brandon credits Liz for helping him through the process, recalling how she trained him using 16-gauge needles, intimidating, but effective for practice. Brandon now uses that empathy in his daily work. “If someone’s scared, I use a butterfly needle. It’s smaller and less intimidating. I know what it feels like to be terrified, so I do everything I can to make it easier for them.”

Patient Comfort First

Brandon’s work is defined by intentionality.

From using specialized techniques to make blood draws painless to creating a comforting environment for everyone in his care, he’s built a reputation for going above and beyond. “I use Coban under the tourniquet so it doesn’t pinch or pull hair from the skin. Because the tourniquet is made of rubber, it makes sure that those who have softer looser skin don’t feel the pinch.”

This small yet thoughtful gesture has not only improved patient comfort but also become a standard practice at the clinic. “I don’t want anyone to feel the way I did, scared and unsure. My job is to make them feel safe.”

Brandon’s colleagues echo the sentiments of his patients. “He’s so good with people, especially kids,” one coworker shared. "What I'm most proud of is that the kids request me, " he admitted. “I've done a lot of practicing and research on the best ways to poke to make it not hurt like using a quick, precise 35-degree angle. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference."

A Partnership in Care

Brandon’s wife, Liz, remains a central figure in his life, even at work. The couple now work together at the clinic, balancing their strengths to provide the best care for their patients. “She’s amazing with the technical side, making sure everything is ordered correctly, and I’m great with patients. We balance each other out.” Their working relationship reflects the same mutual respect and shared purpose that defines their life together, both focused on making a positive impact in each other and their community.

New Goals, Same Heart for Helping

Despite his success, Brandon continues to look forward. “I want to be a traveling phlebotomist,” he said, citing his love for helping people and his desire to explore new places.

What excites him the most these days is his current project- utilizing plasma for Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy. “We’re working on using plasma to make patients feel healthier and more energized,” he shared excitedly at the prospect of enhancing care beyond the basics.

For Brandon, his work as a phlebotomist centers around connection, empathy, and finding ways to make an intimidating process feel like just another part of the journey. “I’ve been where they are,” he said. “I know how it feels, so I want to make it better for them.”

Brandon’s experiences ring true the saying that 'the best healers are those who have walked the path themselves.' In facing our fears, incredible growth can emerge, and in doing so, we often find ways to help others face theirs.