Local mother honors son's memory by encouraging blood donations during Pint for a Pint blood drive

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Central California Blood Center is asking the community to help save lives during its 39th Annual Pint for a Pint Blood Drive.

The need for blood donations is personal for Mary Yom, a local mother and longtime donor whose son, Julian, relied on frequent transfusions during his battle with serious illnesses.

Julian was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 10 and was later diagnosed with leukemia.

MORE INFO: Pint for a Pint Blood Drive at Central California Blood Center

"He passed from a secondary cancer, and it was very hard because we were doing a blood transfusion every two or three days. From January 2020 to November, I noticed there was something more than just his brain cancer. It was very hard because platelets are another thing that we are so in need of, especially B-positive. We could never find his, so with him I was doing platelets every two days. It was very hard, and I couldn't donate fast enough for him to. I hope everybody sees this and comes out and is able to donate for us," said Yom.

The family sometimes had to wait days for his blood type to be shipped in.

"You see these kids, and it's like they shouldn't be waiting two days for blood," Yom said.

Julian died at age 13 in November 2020. Since then, Yom has continued donating blood in his memory.

"Now, it's like I'm doing it in his honor to give all the other kids a chance to have what he could have," she said.

The Central California Blood Center must collect between 5,000 and 6,000 units of blood each month to serve 20 local hospitals.

Community members can donate at Central California Blood Center locations in Fresno, Visalia, and Clovis, as well as at mobile donation sites.

Donors who give a pint of blood will receive a free pint of Umpqua ice cream.

For Yom, the drive serves as a reminder of how critical blood donations are for patients and families facing serious medical challenges.

"I feel it's very important. There's so much blood to be given out for the children, for anyone else who is in need, with a serious illness," she said.

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