14th annual Emily Holum Blood Drive February 9 in Arlington Heights
All Emily Holum wanted was to be healthy enough to go back to school and join her kindergarten classmates at Our Lady of the Wayside Church in Arlington Heights. The year was 2007 and the blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl whose nickname was "Mighty Mite" was in her second year of battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
Sadly, Emily would never make it back to school. The 6-year-old who would have turned 19 this coming Valentine's Day lost her fight on Aug. 2, 2007.
Her family has been steadfast in keeping Mighty Mite's memory alive and will host the 14th annual Emily Holum Memorial Blood Drive from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9, at the same Our Lady or Wayside Church, 435 Ridge St., in Arlington Heights.
"We never get tired talking about Emmy," says Emily's mom, Robin. "For all of the times she needed a blood transfusion or platelets, it was always there for her. The blood drive is a way for the memory of Emmy to shine bright and for her spirit to continue to help others."
Working with Vitalant (formerly LifeSource), the Holum's efforts have results in more than 1,200 blood donations since the first drive in 2006. Emily received upwards of 100 blood and platelet transfusions during her treatment, and because there is no substitute for blood, the only way to collect it is through the selfless act of donors.
While walk-ins are welcome, appointments for the Emily Holum Blood Drive are recommended. For information or to schedule a donation, call (877) 258.4825 or visit vitalant.org and search for Group Code 211C.
In preparation for their donation, donors are asked to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with proper identification. The donation appointment takes about an hour (with the donation itself only around 10 minutes) and is both safe and comfortable. Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years of age with parental consent).
All presenting donors will receive a voucher for a free pint of frozen custard, courtesy of Culver's.
"It's stories like Emily's that remind us of the importance of blood donation," said Vitalant Regional Director Eva Quinley. "We thank the entire Holum family for continuing to hold blood drives to save patients like Emily who needed blood products and to help keep her spirit alive."