Blood Drive to Remember Kristin Oliver

Losing someone so unexpectantly is difficult, losing someone so young who made a difference in the world is heartbreaking. Such is the loss of Kristin Arielle Oliver, who at the age of 31 passed away from a rare disease, Sarcoma of the heart.

“I’ll never forget the first time Kristin had her first transfusion” said her mother Pam Oliver. “Platelet transfusions are necessary if a person’s bone marrow isn’t making enough. It was only a few days into her chemo treatment and a transfusion was necessary. It was only the beginning of several transfusions” Oliver explains.

Being diagnosed in 2018, Kristin would continue to go through the grueling form of chemo treatment. Through all the treatments she continued to smile and have a never give up attitude.

“She was in the intensive care cardiac unit where she received daily high intensity chemo in hopes of shrinking the cancerous mass” her mother Pam explains “Radiation was ruled out because of the location of the mass. A team of doctors and nurses monitored her closely throughout the day and night. The chemo would run over a course of several hours for several days for several weeks. If not for the transfusions, Kristin could die” added Pam.

The Oliver family was thankful for every transfusion.

“I had an opportunity to write a note on a small card hanging from the bag with a message from and to the donation center” Oliver said. “There was never a name on that card, only initials. I didn’t know who would actually read that note or if anyone would really care, but I wrote a few words, tore off one section and saved the part with the initials from the blood center. I simply said, “Thank you… I will give back to help someone else in need.” Oliver adds.

Because of the outpouring of support for a daughter and a sister, the Oliver family has decided to sponsor a blood drive in memory of Kristin Arielle Oliver who passed away last June. The blood drive will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 11 at Sgt. Means Park, 20712 Western Ave., in Olympia Fields.

Kendall, Kristin’s brother traveled to Charlotte, NC to assist Kristin during one of her chemo treatments which was followed by a blood transfusions. He donated blood every 56 days.

“Little did we know when he returned home, Kendall found a local donation center and decided to immediately sign up to be a blood donor” remembers Oliver. “The donation center was Versiti. I suggested we go as a family in Kristin’s memory and Kendall told me he had been donating all along because of the countless donors who helped Kristin during her treatment. We are a community in need and with the covid pandemic, there is a greater need for donors and one way for us to give back in memory of Kristin was to organize a community wide blood drive in our hometown” Oliver said. “Kristin’s legacy is one of giving back and helping others” she added.

Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds.

“Everyday in the US, approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are required in hospitals and emergency treatment centers for patients with cancer, anemia and other blood diseases, for organ transplant recipients and to help save lives of accident & trauma victims” said Oliver.

The Oliver family hopes to spread the message about the need for more blood donors in our communities and plans to continue with yearly blood drives. “Kristin donated blood for the first time as a teen to help a young boy in our community diagnosed with Leukemia, little did she know she would one need of lifesaving blood transfusion” Oliver adds.

The Center for Food Equity in Medicine will join the Oliver family to help spread the word about food insecurity and special nutritional needs of those living with chronic health conditions, especially cancer. "Where there is a need, we feed” Oliver added. They are also asking participants to please bring and donate a non-perishable food item as part of the blood drive.

Versiti strictly follows CDC guidelines: Sterilization, staff and donor temperature checks; mask and health screenings ahead of registration; social distancing.

EXAMPLES OF BLOOD TRANSFUSION NEEDS:

TRANSFUSION NEEDS-- Cancer: up to 8 units/month

BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT: up to 2 units/day

LIVER TRANSPLANT: up to 100 units

AUTO ACCIDENTS—Up to 50 units

CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY: 2-25 UNITS

SIGN UP TO DONATE BLOOD

CLICK HERE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 10

CLICK HERE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 11