Barrington family pays it forward with blood drive

Barrington resident Celeste Bailey knows the importance of donating blood.

Between April and August 2014, Celeste's son, Carter, needed 42 units of platelets and 36 units of red blood cells while battling acute myeloid leukemia.

Carter, who was 18 and a senior at Barrington High School when he was diagnosed with AML, is now in remission. He's a junior at Indiana University majoring in finance and economic consulting.

Celeste, along with her husband, Jim, said they are thankful for the doctors and other hospital staff members at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago who looked after their son during his long road to recovery.

They are also especially grateful for the unknown people who donated the blood, platelets and bone marrow Carter used.

As a way of giving thanks, the Bailey family will partner with LifeSource to host the CarterStrong and Max's Mission Blood & Bone Marrow Registry Drive from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District, 22222 N. Pepper Road in Lake Barrington.

All donors will receive a coupon for a free pint of Culver's frozen custard as part of its "Give a Pint, Get a Pint" program, courtesy of Culver's of Lake Zurich.

To make an appointment, call (877) 543-3768 or visit LifeSource.org and search group code 384D. Appointments are suggested, but walk-ins are always welcome.

Donors must be at least 18 years old (16 and 17 years of age with parental consent). In preparation for their donation, donors are asked to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with proper identification.

The drive has collected more than 170 units of blood, including 51 this past year.