Blood drive to honor memory of two Palatine men
Remembering two Palatine men who died of cancer in 2014, family members and friends of Jesus R. Garcia and David De La Torre will gather for a blood drive from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 1713 N. Rand Road, Suite 200, Palatine.
The blood drive, which is sponsored by LifeSource, Illinois' largest blood center, will be at "Chuy's Spot," a small, nutritional store owned by Garcia's family near Rand-Dundee Plaza in Palatine. The store's name was recently changed to reflect a family nickname given to Garcia.
Garcia, 26, who battled with leukemia for five years, leaves behind a wife and a 3-year-old daughter.
De La Torre, also 26, was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in April 2014. He had been receiving aggressive chemotherapy treatments at Edward Hospital in Naperville.
Both Palatine men required more than 20 pints of blood in their treatment, so their family and friends decided to do something not only in their memory, but also to help "replenish" the Chicagoland blood supply for others battling cancer.
The blood drive will be held during LifeSource's celebration of National Blood Donor Month. LifeSource officials report that January is a critical time for the blood bank's inventory due to inclement weather and school vacations.
Appointments for the blood drive are preferred, but all walk-ins are welcome. Donors can schedule their appointment by calling LifeSource at (877) 543-3768 or visiting www.lifesource.org and using the code 171G.
Blood donors must be at least 17 years old or 16 years old with parental consent.
Along with hosting daily blood drives, LifeSource operates 19 community donor centers and four fixed sites with regular operating days and hours. In preparation for their donation, donors are asked to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with proper identification.
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