NORTH EAST, Md. –The seventh, biannual In Honor of Hunter McCoy Blood Drive brought in two special, young guests on Friday, November 8, namely Hunter McCoy Smith himself and Mare Bouchelle-Fischer, who is like a cousin to Hunter.
Hunter, who turns 4 on November 23, is the namesake of this blood drive. He is doing well today thanks in large part to the transfusions of blood products he received as he battled childhood cancer early on in his young life. His mother, Jordyn Yedinak, brought Hunter to the latest blood drive to say thanks to donors.
A brain tumor was surgically removed when he was just 6 months old, and he received chemotherapy treatment. Since then, he has continued to improve, and he receives regular checkups at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“It’s all clear; it’s all good news,” Yedinak said. “He just got all his results back on Tuesday. He doesn’t have to go back for another six months. It’s crazy to think we’ve been doing this for four years.”
The second special guest was the 7-month-old daughter of Connor Bouchelle, the coordinator of this blood drive. This was the first time the baby attended the blood drive. Bouchelle is Yedinak’s best friend, and she’s like an aunt to Hunter.
Mare stared in wonder at donors and friends, not to mention Hunter, as her mother took a look around at her handiwork. In all, 40 people signed up to donate.
Indeed, what Bouchelle has done is remarkable. She has created a biannual event that allows loyal donors to donate twice year, in autumn and spring. Getting all eligible donors to donate at least twice a year is a goal for BBD and the blood banking industry as a whole Legend has it that if all eligible donors gave just twice a year, that is to say, 62 percent of the U.S. population, then it would eliminate blood emergencies that seem so common in this modern era.
In addition to Bouchelle and Yedinak, other regulars at this blood drive showed up, and that included Wayne Young, Barbie Barker, and Lisa Conner, who have donated at all the In Honor of Hunter blood drives. In addition, Annie Barker and her son Neil DeMatt, and her cousin, Jennie Barker, Tim Scarpado (who came with Lisa Conner), Cedar Springs Farms customers, and members of the North East, Md. community participated in most of the draws.
Barbie Barker almost didn’t come on November 8, but her husband, Matt, talked her into it, ensuring she continued her streak of donating at every In Honor of Hunter McCoy Blood Drive. Young has also donated at every event.
“It comes twice a year, and I’m here each time,” said Young, one of Hunter’s grandfathers. “I always gave at least twice a year anyway, for years.”
The drive also attracted members of the Cecil County Board of Realtors, including Ashley Pruett.
“I’m also O negative, and I like to donate because I know it’s universal,” Pruett said.
Local residents Paul and Krysta McKenna came in to donate together.
“We always give,” Krysta said. “It’s a good cause. You never know if your family needs it, or if you’re helping someone else.”
