Shelby Leonhard, 14 More NEW ORLEANS — A successful blood drive at the Academy of the Sacred Heart cemented the legacy of eighth-grader Shelby Leonhard.
Shelby lost her battle to cancer, but locals said she brought an entire community together to save others.
Her smile was the biggest thing. It just lit up a room, said Michelle Andry, the teen’s former teacher.
Hundreds of people donated blood to help the 14-year-old teen in her battle, and they continued on Thursday to give in her memory.
This past week has been such a good demonstration of how a community can come together and really try to help out. She’s in my thoughts and my prayers and so is her family, said Michelle Mullin, a blood donor.
We really can help a lot of kids. We may not be able to help Shelby anymore, but she definitely left a really important message, said Sally Stock, of the Academy of the Sacred Heart.
(Her case) was a wake-up call. It let us know that there are tons of other Shelbys out there who are going through the same difficulties who really need the blood, and if we can give it, it’s our duty to do that, said Donovan Lockett, of the Academy of the Sacred Heart.
The Leonhard family said they will keep the blood drives going every year for Shelby.
We are going to make this an annual event, so that each year we have the Shelby Leonhard blood drive, said Dr. Tim Burns, headmaster of the Academy of the Sacred Heart.
Amanda Chittenden, of the Blood Center, said at least 85 people donated at the blood drive.
We need people to remember that blood donations just don’t stop. We need them each and every day, Chittenden said.
Previous Stories:
- February 21, 2011: Boy, 2, Benefits From Blood Donations For Shelby
- February 16, 2011: Shelby Leonhard, Teen With Rare Blood Type, Dies
- February 10, 2011: Blood Center Extends Hours To Help Shelby Leonhard, 14
- February 8, 2011: NO Teen With Rare Blood Type Seeks Donor
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