ELDRIDGE, Iowa — September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and ImpactLife is helping recognize pediatric cancer patients. On Saturday, Sept. 18, the McKearney family, a.k.a "Hudson's Heroes," hosted a blood drive with the center.
"Often people don't realize that cancer patients are actually one of the biggest recipients of blood products," said ImpactLife Community Development Advocate Alex Burkamper. "That's why we're out here today at Hudson's Heroes to kind of support that and give back to the community in the best way we can."
"Hudson's Heroes" is the friends, family and community members of four-year-old Hudson McKearney who was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was two. This is the second year they've hosted a blood drive.
"He's received numerous blood transfusions and platelet transfusions to help keep him alive and to be able to receive the chemotherapy that he needs to beat cancer," mom Jessica McKearney said. "In that moment, I knew that I was going to be a blood donor advocate and do anything I could to encourage people to come out and donate, and now I have become a blood donor."
Every donation saves three lives, and Saturday, more than 70 people signed up to donate blood, meaning over 200 lives were saved with the help of "Hudson's Heroes."
"We're so excited to have so many people willing to come in and give their blood in support of our son and just the other blood recipients and the other kids who have needed life saving transfusions," McKearney said. "The community is just really great at coming together and supporting us."
"Having a child with a chronic illness can feel very isolating and to see the community rally around blood donation is just fantastic," Tracy Lux said. "It gives us a lift at a time when we could really use it."
Lux's daughter, Olivia, was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was only 10 months old. She's had nearly two dozen blood transfusions throughout the course of her treatment.
"Without these blood products, her life would not be the way it is today," Lux said.
McKearney said they're also trying to raise awareness about childhood cancer to help find a cure.
"This is when we're just really trying to spread awareness for childhood cancer, and hope to get more funding because there's only 4% of funding that goes toward childhood cancer research," she said. "So the more awareness we can do, the more funding and hopefully one day a cure for it."
Blood donations are especially important right now because there is a critical blood shortage, according to Burkamper.
"Normally we try to maintain a five to seven day supply of all blood types, but right now we're really at a one to three for most," he said.
Throughout next week, Sept. 20-24, if you donate at any ImpactLife center or mobile location and you mention "go for gold," your donation will be directly helping pediatric cancer patients. Click here to find a location and sign up to donate blood.