Blood donors to brighten holidays for pediatric cancer patients
This holiday season, blood and platelet donors can both save lives and provide gifts to pediatric cancer patients with one donation.
Through Dec. 9, blood donors can apply their donor store reward points toward gifts to Big Love Cancer Care, a nonprofit that helps young cancer patients and their families.
The organization’s Holiday Shoppe event on Dec. 17 will allow parents of childhood cancer families to shop for gifts for their children. Blood donors can be a part of the special event by using their donor store rewards to provide a toy to Big Love. One hundred donor store points can buy a child battling cancer one toy.
Children like 12-year-old Jared, who is in remission after battling leukemia, needed several blood and platelet transfusions during his treatment. Jared knows the joy Big Love Cancer Care brings, as the organization provided him and his family with support and resources throughout his cancer journey.
“When you’re going through cancer treatment and in time of darkness, receiving a toy is equivalent to receiving a million bucks and providing light for us,” he said.
Blood centers across the nation are facing blood shortages and the need will increase into the holidays because frequent donors will be on vacation and schools will be out on break.
The public is encouraged to donate blood at one of nine South Texas Blood & Tissue donor centers or at mobile blood drives – and use their rewards to brighten the holiday season for pediatric cancer patients.
To schedule an appointment, visit SouthTexasBlood.org or call 210-731-5590.
