A Pint for Kim Blood Drive Breaks State Record Fifth Year in a Row with More than 700 Donors Showing Up to Give Blood
13 Mayo 2024 - 1:43PM
A Pint For Kim, a national grassroots movement created in 2020 in
honor of mom Kimberly Sandford who lost her eight-year battle with
a rare cancer, broke the record again as the largest single day,
single location blood drive in the state of Illinois with more than
700 people signed up to donate blood and over 600 being eligible to
donate. The annual celebration of Kim’s life took place again at
Naperville North High School where her two boys currently go to
school and included live bands, a car show with over $30 million in
cars, food trucks, games and more.
“It is amazing that this event continues to grow year after year
to help make Kim’s final wish an ongoing reality,” said Robert
Sandford, Kim’s husband. “It is special to have the event at my
boys’ school where the community comes out to donate and support
them. Kim would be so humbled and amazed at what continues to take
place every year in her honor.”
Kimberley Benedyk Sandford suffered from chemo-induced anemia
and required more than 40 blood transfusions in her final months of
life. Those donations gave her precious time to spend with her
family, and to say goodbye to her husband and two young sons.
Rather than being angry, Kim asked how she could turn her story
into a catalyst for positive change. She, with the help of her
family and friends, created the movement A Pint for
Kim. The first drive was held in March 2020, just
five days after Kim died as she requested a blood drive in lieu of
a wake. The event broke state records, securing more than 500 pints
of blood in a single day.
The movement now has national impact, with drives held across
the country throughout the year. The organization is dedicated to
raising awareness of the importance of blood donations, and to
educating people that the largest use of donated blood (over 30
percent) goes to cancer patients to help them be strong enough to
fight their battles.
“Kim was the most selfless person I knew and while we miss her
dearly, A Pint for Kim helps continue on her legacy of helping
others,” said Kristyn Benedyk, Kim’s sister, and co-founder of A
Pint for Kim. “We always feel Kim’s spirit around us at these
drives and are so grateful to everyone who helps make this event
happen. It really was a festival to celebrate Kim’s life, but also
helped save lives.”
Please sign up to give blood at your local blood donation
center. For more information on A Pint for Kim and Kim’s story,
please visit www.apintforkim.com.
About A Pint for Kim
A Pint for Kim is a nonprofit organization that was created
following the passing of Kimberley Benedyk Sandford of Naperville,
Illinois who, after an incredible eight year journey with a rare
cancer, left us in March 2020. The organization organizes and hosts
blood drives year-round in her memory and has secured tens of
thousands of pints of blood to date; each pint saving up to three
lives. The organization is not a charity, as they do not raise a
single dollar, only awareness for the importance of donating blood.
For more information, visit us at www.apintforkim.com or follow us
on Facebook or Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT:Jennifer PodkasikArrowhead
Communications 630.347.9338 jen@arrowheadcommunications.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/478552f4-b2e3-4769-93ae-7888dec9a8c0