Team Up and Help Save a Life Barb Smith heads the 6th Annual Blood Drive

Imagine being susceptible to infection so frequently that you’re sick on a regular basis. Pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections; infections that won’t completely clear up or clears very slowly becomes the norm. While symptoms may differ from person to person, those with Primary Immunodeficiency Disease have to live differently than most.
Violet who is 10 years old and her brother Ian who is 8 years old have both been diagnosed with Primary Immunodeficiency Disease which requires the two to receive subcutaneous infusions every week. One infusion for one child requires over 100 blood donors’ blood plasma, therefore every person’s blood and plasma donation counts, not only for Violet and Ian but for the other children at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The two have been patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles starting about nine years ago for Violet and seven years ago for Ian. They call it their “Home away from home.”
Violet and Ian’s mother, Barb Smith, along with her family are reaching out to the community for your support. “There is no cure for this genetic disease but there is treatment and hope. We are now on our 6th annual blood drive. I put on an annual blood drive along with CHLA to not only support their treatment but to help other CHLA families whose lives depend on blood too,” states Barb. The 6th annual blood drive will be on Saturday, March 2 at Grace Baptist Church, which is located at 22833 Copper Hill Drive in Santa Clarita. It will take place from 8am to 2pm. To schedule an appointment for the blood drive, visit www.chladonateblood.org and enter sponsor code: GRACEBAP
For more information about Primary Immunodeficiency Disease, visit www.primaryimmune.org.

photo courtesy Josh Premako Photography