Large-Scale Blood Drive Honors Life Of Wilmette Native

WILMETTE, IL — Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish in Wilmette is inviting the community to roll up their sleeves and donate blood amid a nationwide shortage.

The 11th annual blood drive will take place on Feb. 8 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year's event honors the life of Kevin Joseph Smith Burke, who passed away in 2017 at 23-years-old due to a rare heart condition.

Burke grew up attending the Wilmette parish and its elementary school, with his family donating at the first two blood drives.

"After his passing, a family friend, who had been organizing the blood drive, approached Burke’s parents about renaming the event in his honor. They agreed and the donor count tripled," said Susan Thomas, public relations and communications manager for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Over the years, the blood drive has grown, collaborating with the Wilmette Fire Department, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview and the R. Scott and Rebecca J. Falk Memorial Blood Drive to form the “North Shore Alliance of Blood Donors.”

Last week, the American Red Cross issued a severe blood shortage advisory due to an alarming drop in the national blood supply. This comes as flu activity rises throughout the country, and overburdened hospitals are forced to triage critical blood products.

"The goal is to help each drive raise more awareness of the need to donate blood, increase the number of donors annually, raise awareness on the blood shortage and promote all the blood drives that run throughout the year, making it easy and convenient to donate," Thomas said.

Appointments for the blood drive are now open, and community members are encouraged to register in advance to donate blood. Appointments can be made at American Red Cross.

Donors at the blood drive will receive a Culver's certificate for a pint of custard and will be entered to win a top prize for a $200 Ballyhoo gift card.