Blood and Bone Marrow Drive a Success!

L-R Transplant recipients Emma Davies and Rep. Bob Godshall. Emma's bone marrow donor, and big sister, Lilly Davies

​We have been sponsoring Peter Powerhouse blood drives in our community since June of 2015.  Local cancer kids have joined with Peter in a powerful photo campaign that spotlights their individual need for blood products.  You may have seen our colorful, poignant posters, around town when you do stop and take a look, these of the faces of children who’s lives have been impacted or saved because of donations like yours.  Take a quick photo of the drive info and when you get home or to your work register for the next one!  Our one-and-only five-hour blood drive quickly became our four a year blood drives and now we are holding six ten-hour drives a year.  We are the largest non-corporate blood drive in Southeastern PA/NJ.  Our December 29th drive yielded ninety-eight units of blood and each unit has the potential to save three lives.  Wow!

Towamencin MYF hold bake sale and volunteer to keep the drives running smoothly.

​We are grateful to Chick-fil-A of Lansdale, P.F. Chang’s of Collegeville and Everything Bagel, North Wales for their steadfast support and amazing catering.  With their help they’ve turned our blood drives into community events.  We’re grateful to the Towamencin Mennonite Church Youth Group for volunteering at our last drive and for holding a bake sale that generated enough sales and donations for us to provide breakfast for fifty families that our in-patient on the oncology floor at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  If you’ve sat at the canteen after your blood donation chances are good you’ve meet one or two of the kids on the posters that adorn our collection hall.  Hopefully their stories have moved you and you’ll return again and again.

Lisa and Jeremy Davies know the need for bone marrow donors is serious business! Their daughter Emma (pictured) received a transplant from her big sister Lilly.

​On December 29th we added a bone marrow drive to our blood drive via Be The Match.  A simple painless swabbing of the inside of the check is all it takes for a healthy person ages 18-44 to lend their DNA to the Be The Match database.  Many families in our local area have a loved one that has been part of a bone marrow transplant.  Many families do NOT have a perfect match within their family.  We’re grateful to the Davies Family of Sellersville for sharing their transplant experiences with us and for Rep. Bob Godshall, a stem cell recipient for lending his face to the event to help raise awareness.  Seventeen people swabbed at the drive and four people took kits with them to swab at home.  A total of twenty-one people were added to the registry and we have decided to hold marrow drives during all of our blood drives.  Keep a lookout for marrow drive posters that will highlight our transplant families!

Peter shipping the swabs to Be The Match!

​Our next drive is February 23rd 10:00am – 8:00pm.  You can register at www.RedCrossBlood.org, use the code:  Peter Powerhouse.  Bring your spouse, bring a friend, encourage your co-workers; be part of a community of caring, save a life!