Today's the day to give: Inspired by people with cancer, 'A Pint for Kim' blood drive keeps growing

Kim Benedyk Sandford had a knack for flipping the script, especially when it came to the pain she endured in the final years of her life.

More than anything, though, the Naperville woman wanted to make sure the loved ones left behind didn't allow the loss to define them.

“She wanted to give purpose to the pain,” said Kristyn Benedyk, Kim's sister. “That's been our mission the last three years.”

After Kim died in 2020 at age 49 from a rare form of cancer, Kristyn and her other sister, Kathleen Fuglsang, continued the effort to flip the script.

Per Kim's wishes, instead of a wake, they organized a blood drive — lovingly named “A Pint for Kim” — to provide the ultimate purpose to the pain still being felt by thousands of people who have cancer and need transfusions. In the first event, held five days after Kim's death, “A Pint for Kim” set a state record for a one-location, one-day blood drive with more than 500 donors.

Despite pandemic restrictions, in the last two years, “A Pint for Kim” still topped the initial amount, and organizers even had to move the event to an airport hangar to accommodate the crowd while maintaining social distancing.

This year, the Mother's Day weekend tradition hits close to home. The “A Pint for Kim” blood drive is slated for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 13 at Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill St., which is where Kim and her husband Robert's sons, Richard and J.D., attend school.

“That's been the really cool part, just watching this become something the whole school and the students are embracing,” Kristyn Benedyk said. “Knowing the boys are surrounded by that kind of support is really heartwarming. If we didn't have these amazing partnerships, we wouldn't be able to do this.”

Kristyn Benedyk is hoping to shatter the previous records they've set. From the 800 registered donors — walk-ups are welcome — 2,400 lives can be saved. The blood goes to Versiti Blood Center of Illinois, which handles the distribution to area hospitals.

“Kim received about 40 blood transfusions, and it dawned on us that this blood has to be coming from somewhere,” Kristyn Benedyk said. “And that's when we learned that the largest use of donated blood goes to cancer patients.

“Most cancer patients who go through chemotherapy wind up having anemia and needing blood transfusions,” she said. “It's what allows cancer patients to be strong enough to continue treatment.”

Near the end of Kim's life, Kristyn said, she received a transfusion of seven pints of blood that allowed her the strength to have a final weekend at home with Robert and the boys, who were just 13 and 11 when Kim died.

While Kristyn and other “A Pint for Kim” organizers can quantify the more than 1,500 donations from the first three events, those numbers don't account for additional donations inspired by Kim. When Kristyn visits the Versiti Blood Center and sees notes on the wall for why each person donated blood, half the notes say it's for Kim.

“Every time I go in there, it just makes me cry because it's so amazing,” Kristyn Benedyk said.

The impact will be on full display Mother's Day weekend at Naperville North. While the blood donations occur inside the school, a carnival atmosphere will be taking place on the surrounding campus.

There will be a raffle with more than $30,000 in prizes and a classic car show featuring the Hamilton Collection and its $30 million worth of vehicles. The event is free, but participants must donate blood or be a volunteer.

There will be live bands, food trucks and even therapy dogs from nearby Edward Hospital, where Kim was treated.

For more information about the event, visit apintforkim.com. To be a sponsor or donate raffle items, email apintforkim2023@gmail.com.

“I can't think of a better reason to have food and music and a festival than saving thousands of lives,” Kristyn Benedyk said.

Kristyn and the other “A Pint for Kim” organizers hope to throw the biggest party possible to raise awareness about the importance of blood donations for people with cancer.

“Everybody knows somebody who's going through cancer, and you feel so helpless,” she said. “But this is the perfect way to help, by donating blood.”