DAYTON — The fourth annual Chelsea Lukey Memorial Blood Drive, on Wednesday, Jan. 2, from 3 to 7 p.m., in the Palazzo, 309 S. Main St., in Botkins, will be one of the first blood drives of the inaugural Ohio Blood Donor Awareness Month.
Everyone who registers to donate will receive the commemorative “Ohio Blood Donor Awareness Month” t-shirt. Schedule an appointment online at www.DonorTime.com or call 1-800-388-GIVE.
Botkins donor Susan Leugers first organized the blood drive in 2016 as a tribute to her daughter Chelsea, who was just 22 when she lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in 2010. She agreed to host the blood drive early in the New Year, when blood is often in short supply.
In recognition of her dedication, Susan was named to the 2017 class of the Fresenius Kabi National Donation Hall of Fame. Her induction ceremony took place during the 2018 Chelsea Lukey Memorial Blood Drive.
Blood donor and emergency room physician Rep. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, sponsored the legislation to make January Ohio Blood Donor Awareness Month. CBC played an important role in its passage by providing proponent testimony. Susan was part of the CBC coalition that testified before the Senate Health Committee in 2017.
“The third annual Chelsea Lukey Memorial Blood Drive will be the day after New Year’s 2018,” Susan said in her testimony. “With your support, the blood drive in Chelsea’s honor could be the first blood drive of January Blood Donor Awareness Month.”
The legislation was not approved in time for January 2018, but Susan will get her wish when the fourth annual Chelsea Lukey Memorial Blood Drive becomes one of the first blood drives of the 2019 inaugural Ohio Blood Donor Awareness Month.
