BOTKINS — Botkins blood donor Susan Leugers will be inducted into the 2018 Fresenius Kabi National Donation Hall of Fame, Jan. 2, during the Community Blood Center blood drive she began two years ago in memory of her daughter, Chelsea.
The third annual Chelsea Lukey Memorial Blood Drive is Jan. 2 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Immaculate Conception Church, 116 N. Mill St., Botkins. The ceremony welcoming Leugers into the Donation Hall of Fame will take place at 4 p.m.
CBC nominated Leugers because of her personal commitment to donating and her resolve to recruit donors. Her induction will mark the third consecutive year a CBC donor has received this honor.
Leugers has 136 lifetime donations. Her daughter, Chelsea, received blood transfusions during a long struggle with pancreatic islet cell cancer. She was 22 when she passed away in 2010. Leugers organized the first Chelsea Lukey Memorial Blood Drive in July 2016.
“I’m passionate about being a blood donor, and the blood drive was the obvious thing to do in Chelsea’s honor,” Leugers said. “That was something that made her proud of me. She wanted to be a blood donor but was too sick. I believe that people are willing to donate, if someone will just ask.”
Leugers agreed to have the second annual Chelsea Lukey Memorial Blood drive just six months later, Jan. 3, 2017, to help boost the CBC blood supply during the holidays. The third annual blood drive in Chelsea’s memory is again in support of the holiday blood supply and January National Blood Donor Month.
Fresenius Kabi is honoring 12 people and one canine in the 2018 Hall of Fame class. For nearly 20 years, Fresenius Kabi has partnered with blood centers across the country to recognize individuals who demonstrate unwavering commitment and passion for donating blood and encouraging blood donation.
“The U.S. blood supply depends on the commitment of a compassionate community of recruiters, sponsors, donors, collectors, technicians, scientists and drivers. Since 1998, Fresenius Kabi has worked shoulder-to-shoulder with blood centers in the U.S. to assure that blood is available to patients when it’s needed most,” said Dean Gregory, president of medical devices at Fresenius Kabi USA. “Few better demonstrate the importance and power of working together than those inducted annually into the Fresenius Kabi Donation Hall of Fame. This year’s class is a wonderful example of heroes in our communities. Fresenius Kabi is honored to recognize them.”
