The 2nd annual Victory Project Blood Drive was held Sporting Park in partnership with the American Red Cross this past weekend. Over 170 donors attended the event and up to 483 lives will potentially be saved from the 161 pints of blood donated.
Donors, many of which were first timers, each received a commemorative “I Bleed Sporting Blue” t-shirt, complimentary Papa John’s pizza and tours of the Sporting Kansas City locker room. Sporting KC teammates Mikey Lopez, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Erik Palmer-Brown and Jacob Peterson were on site to meet with donors.
“I was pretty nervous since it was my first time donating and I really don’t like needles,” said Jimmy Mack. “ In reality, the experience was pretty painless. When you think about the fact that you’re helping potentially save someone’s life, the little pain you do experience is totally worth it. I’m really glad I donated!”
September is an opportune time for The Victory Project to partner with The Red Cross as it is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. By giving blood, fans could impact the lives of children battling cancer as many receive regular platelet and blood transfusions during treatment. The Victory Project’s mission is to tangibly impact the lives of children battling cancer and other life’s challenges.
To learn more about The Victory Project, please visit VictoryKC.org, follow @VictoryKC on Twitter or like their Facebook page.
