FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Someone in the Valley receives a blood donation, nearly every day.
Right now the need is so great, ABC30 is teaming up with the Central California Blood Center to help fill the shelves, with the annual Pint For Pint Blood Drive.
Chris and Alex Cazares are typical brothers, they love to play video games. The fraternal twins have always been close, but nearly two years ago, leukemia threatened their bond.
"It was really hard," said Chris. "I just felt weak and tired. I'd get tired really easy and I wouldn't be able to do stuff I could do."
In July 2009, after weeks of pain, ten-year-old Chris was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Chris's mother, Crystal Cazares said, "It just felt like a bad dream for a long time. It was hard for me and my husband. Then he has a twin brother that's trying to understand what's going on and it's was really hard to tell his twin brother, your brother has cancer."
Chris started chemotherapy and received blood transfusions. His mother says she is grateful for donors during a critical time in her son's life.
"Sometimes you don't realize how important it is, until something like this happens to you," said Crystal. "It was really amazing, he came to life."
Right now, the Central California Blood Center, is in need of volunteers to fill these chairs. At the annual Pint For Pint Blood Drive, they hope to get enough of the gift to supply Valley hospitals.
Dean Eller with the Central California Blood Center said, "Today we are critically low. We can't wait for pint for pint to start. We actually need people to come in even before that, even today. Because we are at about 35 percent of what we need."
With such a great need, 12-year-old Chris Cazares, is hoping others will hear that call to donate.
Chris added, "It's important because you could be helping someone's life."