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A blood drive organized in part by a seventh-grade Mid-Prairie student saw the community come out in support. The Blood Drive for the Brave: Keylen’s Fight for Childhood Cancer Warriors was held in Wellman on Saturday. The event had 37 first time donors and 39 people in total registered to donate. 

Keylen Cooper is an active boy who has been undergoing chemo treatment for leukemia. His mother, Skyler Barthelman shared her thanks to those who donate blood, “Watching your child receive blood from a complete stranger is a feeling that is indescribable, especially in a moment in circumstances like we were in. We just can’t thank families enough for donating blood, platelets, taking the time out of their day to help save someone else, no matter the age. It was something that was very important to us.”

Mikala Niemeier with Lifeserve Blood Center said 38 units of blood were collected which equals up to 114 lives saved or sustained. The donations will go to hospitals in Iowa, including the University of Iowa Hospitals.