Donors Give Blood in Emma's Name

Scores of donors gave 53 pints blood at the second drive held by Pop Warner and the RI Blood Center for Emma Katzen late yesterday afternoon and early evening, Aug. 1, in the lobby and outside the Barrington Middle School.

Emma, 12, is the Barrington girl and Pop Warner cheerleader who is battling leukemia. She has been the recipient of numerous pints of blood, and Pop Warner has hosted two blood drives in her name to help replenish supplies.

Two blood center coaches were filled most of the five hours they were parked outside the school on Wednesday.The blood donated, said Danielle Dunn, account manager for the RI Blood Center, "will help up to 159 patients in our community."

"We also had 13 people register to be on National Marrow Registry," Dunn said.

Volunteers, including the Mt. Hope High School cheerleaders, signed up and directed donors to the sign-up tables and the donor vehicles. The coach of the cheerleaders said the girls volunteered as part of their community service effort and to fill in for Pop Warner teams who started practices yesterday afternoon and evening.

Emma and her parents also stopped by the blood drive for a short while and "got a chance to visit her friends at cheer practice," Dunn said. "There was great support from many friends and family... a great turnout."