A blood drive is being held at Delta Blood Bank, 655 E. Hawkeye Ave., on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for 2014 Pitman High School honors graduate Dustin Babb, 18, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on Feb. 5 of this year.
When you donate blood make sure to tell the staff you are there for Dustin’s blood drive.
Dustin graduated from PHS in June and had enrolled to University of California, Merced to pursue his career as a veterinarian.
“Unfortunately he had to put that off for now, the chemotherapy treatments have been really hard on him and he went from 195 lbs and he is down to about 155 lbs now. But he has a great attitude and his spirits are high,” said his step-father Ray. “He plans to go back to UC Merced in the spring semester.”
On Wednesday and Thursday, many friends and family donated blood, including his mother Bobbi’s co-workers at Turlock Irrigation District.
Dustin is currently receiving treatment at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and will be for the next three years.
Participants in the blood drive not only provide a vital resource for those in need of blood but also help to offset the medical costs of Babb’s blood transfusions. For every participant who donates blood on Babb’s behalf, Delta Blood Bank will donate a $10 monetary credit to help the family pay for his transfusion-related medical expenses.
