Give blood, support fellow Hampton student
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A blood drive on Jan. 30 is being held at Hampton high school from 7:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. in honor of a junior who has been battling acute lymphoma leukemia since last year.
Hampton’s Sam Triulzi was diagnosed with the disease last May at the end of his sophomore year, according to his dad, Darrell.
He has been under treatment since then at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC where he has received chemotherapy and multiple transfusions of red cells and platelets. The need for blood is expected for treatment for this particular cancer due “to the chemotherapy toxic effect on the bone marrow where blood cells are made,” said his dad.
Ironically, Darrell is a physician who specializes in blood transfusion and serves as medical director for the UPMC blood banks, including the one at Children’s Hospital.
“Thus, I am acutely aware of the need for blood and the critical role it plays in patient care including my own son. I am a platelet donor myself,” he said.
The blood drive will be held at the high school auxiliary gym on McCully Road in Allison Park and is being operated by Vitalant, which was formerly Central Blood Bank, according to the HTSD website.
Sam has been completing his junior year in cyber school because he wasn’t able to return yet to the regular classroom. But the good news is he’s doing much better and is set to return to school before the end of the month.
Sam has been able to interact with his friends through online video games, now his current favorite pastime, said his dad.
He mostly misses seeing his friends and rowing for the Hampton High School crew team, which he did his freshman and sophomore years, Darrell said.
“He is very proud of the school choosing to honor him as the sponsor for the blood drive and he is thankful for the students and staff who donate with Vitalant,” said his dad.
High school Principal Dr. Marguerite Imbarlina encouraged everyone to come to the blood drive.
“If you can come support this blood drive and Sam that would be great,” she said.
Appointments are recommended, but not required. Walk-ins are welcome. To make an appointment, students should contact Melanie Haynes in the nurse’s office. All others call 412-492-6384 or visit vitalant.org, click on the “Donate” button and search for code HS010029.
All participating donors will receive a Pittsburgh Penguins knitted hat. And it also benefits the Hampton High School Scholarship Program.
Natalie Beneviat is a
Tribune-Review contributor.