Island Lake remembers Ed Reilly with blood drive
Every two seconds someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion, and every day, 43,000 pints of donated blood are used by patients due to trauma-related injuries, cancer treatments and other medically-related issues.
Last March, the person needing blood was Ed Reilly, former longtime police and fire commissioner for the Island Lake Police Department.
Ed required 12 units of blood and four pints of plasma after he sustained internal bleeding from blood thinners he was on.
Almost immediately after those 16 units of blood products were transfused into Ed, his wife Trish Logar-Reilly, a longtime blood donor, quickly arranged for a LifeSource blood drive to be held at the First National Bank of Island Lake, where she serves as assistant vice president.
The drive is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 24. The bank is at 660 East State Road, Island Lake.
Sadly, Ed Reilly will not be able to thank donors personally that day. He passed away suddenly on March 26 at the age of 67. Trish, however, intends to thank each and every donor while honoring her husband's memory.
"I wanted to give back and ensure there's enough blood on area hospital shelves for others, like Ed, who need it," Trish said. "I saw firsthand how important that blood was for my husband."
Trish expects many members of the Island Lake police and fire departments, as well as village employees, to attend the drive and roll up their sleeves in his memory.
Appointments are suggested and can be made by visiting www.lifesource.org and searching for Group Code 494D.
Donors must be at least 18 years old (or at least 16 with parental consent). In preparation for their donation, donors are asked to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with proper identification. All participating donors will receive a voucher for a free pint of frozen custard from Culver's.
Ed was also on the waiting list for a heart and kidney transplant, and information on joining the organ donor registry will be available at the drive. Every 10 minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.
The blood donation process takes about an hour and is both safe and comfortable. Proper identification is required to donate blood. A LifeSource or military ID, driver's license or employee badge with a picture and full name are all approved forms of identification. A birth certificate along with a picture ID that includes the donor's full name will also be accepted.
For more information, including additional donor eligibility and qualifications, or to schedule an appointment, visit LifeSource.org or call (877) 543-3768.
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