Highland Park Firefighters To Host Memorial Weekend Blood Drive for Colleague's 16-Month Old Daughter Battling Cancer

Highland Park firefighters will band together Memorial Day weekend to support fellow firefighter and Purple Heart recipient Nathan Abbott by hosting a LifeSource blood drive in honor of his 16-month-old daughter, Kylia, who is fighting a high-risk cancer.

The blood drive takes place on Saturday, May 24, from 8 am-2 pm at Headquarters Fire Station #33, 1130 Central Ave., Highland Park.  

The Highland Park firefighter is a former U.S. Marine who was awarded the Purple Heart during Operation Iraqi Freedom. For Abbott's fellow firefighters, the chance to host a blood drive on the military's most solemn day was the perfect fit.

"We're in the career of service-including service to our own," says Deputy Fire Chief Dan Pease. "In our endless effort to save lives, we now focus on trying to help a brother and his family in their time of need."

Kylia Abbott's stage four neuroblastoma diagnosis came after her one-year exam in January. Neuroblastoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest, or spinal cord. Her aggressive treatment at University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital requires frequent blood transfusions.

"Kylia's treatment is a credit not only to her doctors, but also her ability to get blood transfusions when her condition weakens her bone marrow," says Kerri O'Leary, Kylia's grandmother. She adds that a stem cell transplant procedure for her granddaughter will be next.

"These blood transfusions allow Kylia to be more alert, which in turn, helps her to fight this cancer."

The family is grateful for all the support they continue to receive from Abbott's colleagues-many of whom have made sacrifices of their own time to allow both him and his wife, Kelly, to be with their daughter during her treatments. Says O'Leary: "Nathan's co-workers have really gone the extra mile for us, and this May 24 blood drive is an extension of their compassion and generosity. We can't thank everyone enough." 

The grandmother's gratitude also reaches into the Highland Park business community, where restaurant Real Urban Barbecue will provide gift certificates to donors.

Appointments for the blood drive are preferred, but all walk-ins are welcome. Donors can schedule their appointment by calling LifeSource at (877) 543-3768 or visiting www.lifesource.org and using sponsor code 243D. For more information, contact LifeSource account manager Sharon Fulgenzi at 847-687-8478, or visit the City of Highland Park web site at www.cityhpil.com.

Along with hosting daily blood drives, LifeSource operates 18 community donor centers and four fixed sites with regular operating days and hours. In preparation for their donation, donors are asked to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with proper identification.