Diane A. Rhodes | Contributor
Ellen Tichy watched her daughter Cassi lose her battle to Ewing sarcoma on May 20, 2018. On the fifth anniversary of that loss, Tichy is hosting a blood drive in San Jacinto to help others in need while honoring her daughter’s memory and bringing awareness to the need for more childhood cancer research.
On Saturday, May 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., a LifeStream bloodmobile will be parked at the San Jacinto Stater Bros. market, 1537 S. San Jacinto Ave., to receive life-saving donations. Tichy, of Hemet, works closely with LifeStream to host monthly blood drives in the community.
It helps the blood bank replenish their blood supply which is experiencing a critical shortage. She is hoping to have at least 50 donors at this upcoming event, “ten for every year of this heartbreaking separation” from her daughter. “I look forward to giving blood because I know I’m helping others,” Tichy said, who tries to donate every 56 days, the allotted time frame set by LifeStream. “When Cassi needed 50-plus units of platelets and blood (during her treatments) I always wondered who had been generous enough to donate.”
Tichy is encouraging donors to wear yellow, Cassi’s favorite color, to honor her memory. She said that while her daughter is not physically here, “her spirit of light and love continues to shine ever so brightly.” While walk-ins are always welcome, Tichy is requesting that potential donors make an appointment as soon as possible so their wait time can be minimized and she can better organize the event.
To make an appointment, visit lstream.org/sanjacinto and mention code REPLCT21 to donate blood in honor of Cassi. In recent years, Tichy has partnered with Wings for Ewing Sarcoma, a nonprofit started by a young ballerina with the disease, and her mother, Sandra. Chiara Valle, of New York, was diagnosed in 2018 and has been out of treatment for about four years but still has regular screenings. Her cancer had not metastasized as was the case with Cassi. “This charity will also benefit from any blood donations on May 20,” Tichy said. In March, thanks to the efforts by Tichy and generous blood donors, LifeStream was able to present a $2,500 check to the Wings for Ewing Sarcoma nonprofit.
Tichy said Cassi was diagnosed with the rare childhood bone cancer when she was 15 and spent 32 months fighting it. She has kept her daughter’s memory alive through advocacy for more research and awareness campaigns that will help others stricken with the disease. And also by hosting regular blood drives as a way to give the gift of life to others. LifeStream’s website states, “Blood donations are urgently needed now to protect lifesaving treatments in your community.” It also shares information such as the fact that one donation can help multiple patients because following collection, red blood cells, plasma and platelets are separated, stored and distributed separately. Platelets are especially in need by cancer patients and must be used within five days of collection, a reason why new donations are continuously needed.
While no one wants to be in the position of needing blood to maintain health, to battle disease or to recover from injury, the site states that 1 in 4 people, at some point, will require a blood transfusion. Yet currently, less than 10% of the population eligible to donate blood actually does so. In preparation for donating, eat a hearty meal and drink plenty of fluids.
Bring a photo ID with proof of age. Donors under the age of 17 must bring a signed LifeStream parental consent form. To learn more about blood donations, visit www.lstream.org or call 800-879-4484. For more information, www.wingsforewingsarcoma.org and #shinebrightcassi.
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