“Southern Charm” Star and Local Cancer Survivor Partner with The Blood Connection to Raise Money for LLS

Press Release

25% of donated blood products help cancer patients going through treatment. Many of those patients are battling blood cancers, like leukemia and lymphoma, and require blood transfusions to make it through months of grueling treatment. The Blood Connection (TBC) is proud to partner with two candidates for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Visionaries of the Year, to help raise money in the fight against blood cancer.

Throughout the next month, TBC will partner with Liza Patterson, a lymphoma survivor from Charleston, and Naomie Olindo, Southern Charm star and owner of L’Abeye boutique, to host blood drives which will ensure blood products are available for cancer patients in need and raise money for LLS.

Liza Patterson was just 29 years old, and five weeks removed from the birth of her daughter, when a trip to the emergency room revealed she had a large mass in her chest.  An ambulance ride to MUSC led to the discovery that the mass was cancer, and later to the diagnosis of Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma.  During six months of active treatment and countless rounds of chemotherapy, Patterson often found herself on the other end of blood transfusions.

“My life and the lives of those who love me would look very different today without generous donors like yourself,” said Patterson.  “Blood donation saved my life, and every new donor will save more lives.”

Her team, “No Bad Blood,” will host two blood drives in April: one at the Co-Op on Sullivans Island, and another on Charleston Center Drive, between Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and Ashley River Tower, where Patterson received her intensive treatment.

Southern Charm star Naomie Olindo came face-to-face with the devastating effects of cancer when her father was diagnosed with Stage 3 esophageal cancer in December of 2018. He ultimately passed away from the disease a year later.  While not leukemia or lymphoma, the diagnosis was a reminder to her that cancer does not discriminate; it impacts those in our community every day and more needs to be done to find a cure.  Olindo had the opportunity to meet leukemia survivor and TBC advocate Rhys Shaw and his family, which encouraged her to join TBC in hosting blood drives supporting LLS.

“When you need a blood transfusion – it is a real emergency – and community members taking the time before that emergency to donate blood, is a great way to impact our community,” said Olindo.

Olindo’s team “Out for Blood,” will host two blood drives with TBC, the first on March 29 on Daniel Island with the Shaw family, and the second on April 17, at L’Abeye.

Details for each blood drive can be found below.

• Wednesday March 29 – Team “Out for Blood”
  • 885 Island Park Drive from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Make an appointment here: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/212008
• Tuesday, April 4 – Team “No Bad Blood”
  • 2056 Middle Street Sullivans Island from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Make an appointment here: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/212156
• Tuesday, April 11 – Team “No Bad Blood”
  • Charleston Center Drive from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Make an appointment here: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/212160
• Monday, April 17- Team “Out for Blood”
  • 1233 Ben Sawyer Boulevard #800 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Make an appointment here: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/212163

If donors are not able to attend these specific drives, they can still donate for the cause, by donating their reward points to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in the TBC Online Store.  Donors can find convenient blood drives near them by going to thebloodconnection.org/donate.

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