Carol H. Axelrod Memorial Blood Drive To Be Held May 12 in Radnor

The Carol H. Axelrod Memorial Blood Drive will take place on Tuesday, May 12, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Radnor Township Municipal Building and will give donors an easy opportunity to help save lives while also supporting two important local organizations. For every unit of blood collected, Carol’s family will make contributions to support the Hero Scholarship Fund of Delaware County, which provides scholarship aid to the children of county first responders who die in the line of duty, and Peter’s Place, a Radnor-based center for grieving children and their caregivers. Through this “Community CHAllenge,” if the blood drive collection surpasses last year’s total of 117 units, the family will double their donations to these groups. To schedule an appointment, visit http://www.chablooddrive.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (mention sponsor code “CHAMemorial”).

All presenting donors at the blood drive will receive a gift bag and free entry into a prize drawing. Appointments are available at 15-minute intervals throughout the day.

Every unit of donated blood can be separated into components that can be given to as many as three patients, meaning that one donor can help save three lives. Only volunteer blood donors can ensure that blood products are available for anyone who needs them, for any reason, in the days and weeks ahead.

The “Community CHAllenge” issued by Carol’s family will help two local organizations carry out their important work. The Hero Scholarship Fund of Delaware County awards scholarships to the children of Delaware County police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel who die in the line of duty, enabling the students to continue their educations. Peter’s Place offers supportive services to grieving children and their caregivers, including peer support groups and grief support through schools.

In 2003, Main Line resident Carol Axelrod, an elementary-school teacher, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the blood and bone marrow that has no known cause. During her treatment for the disease, she became dependent on regular transfusions of blood and platelets. The transfusions she received allowed her to enjoy good quality of life and gave her family the gift of more time with her. After Carol died, her family started the blood drive as a way of giving the same gift to other families. Their blood drive has since grown to multiple locations throughout the year. This will be their fourth blood drive in Radnor Township.