KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sporting Kansas City and the Community Blood Center are partnering to host a blood drive Friday at Children’s Mercy Park.
One local family benefited from blood donations and is now sharing its message for future donors.
Katie Pino’s daughter, Victoria was born just two months ago on March 2, but memories of that day are vivid for a different reason.
"We cut the umbilical cord, everything seemed fine, and then the nurses came in said you haven't stopped bleeding," Katie said, recalling a laceration she sustained in childbirth.
She began to hemorrhage and her husband Nicolas said it was terrifying.
"It's a little bit of 'ER,' and a little bit of the drama movies that you see, but it's real life," he remembered.
At North Kansas City Hospital, they had what they needed.
"Three units of blood, and a unit is typically like half a liter, and that's what you normally donate blood, so she actually received from three, likely three different donors," Nicolas said.
The family never met the donors who helped save Katie's life.
"I was back with my baby within hours and recovering well and that's amazing, that's the best gift anyone can give me and I'm sure that when someone donated that blood, they didn't realize fully the extent of an impact, it would make on our lives," Katie said.
That’s why they want to promote Friday's blood drive at the home of Sporting Kansas City.
"Toilet paper is likely not going to save your life, a microchip, all those other things are not likely to save your life, but blood is something that anyone can donate. It's free to donate and it truly will save a life," Nicolas said.
Katie is now a healthy mother of two who says she will be a blood donor in the future.
"I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never donated blood before, but I sure didn't hesitate taking some when I needed it to save my life," she said.
Appointments are encouraged and walk-ins will be taken at the Budweiser Brewhouse at Children’s Mercy Park for Friday's event, which starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.
