Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Abington residents organize blood drive in memory of their mothers
Lilly Mackarey and Victoria Mori are holding a blood drive in honor of their mothers Jean Cavalieri Mori and Emilie Leon Mackarey on Saturday March 7, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Waverly Community House.
Abington Journal/Lauren Termini
What are the chances of two people who work together going through the same exact thing at the same time? For Lilly Mackarey and Victoria Mori it seemed like their lives were destined to be entwined.
Both women work at Delta Medix. And the mothers of both women became seriously ill at the same time, requiring many blood transfusions. “We worked together side by side and became more than friends because of our circumstances,” Mori said. “Lilly’s mother, Emilie Leon Mackarey died on Saturday, August 12, 2006. My mother, Jean Cavalieri Mori died the following Saturday. We both went through everything together, so last year when I wanted to do something special for my mother’s birthday, I asked Lilly if she wanted to do something along with me.”
That something was putting together the first ever blood drive at the Waverly Community House or “The Comm.” “You never know when you’re going to need blood. We watched our mothers receive transfusions from Red Cross donors and thought this could be a way to pay special tribute to them.” Mori said. “If you ever saw my mother lose blood – it was so horrible – and then to see it go back into her…it’s just so nice to know someone made that possible.”
Last year’s unadvertised blood drive was a huge success. They had 48 donors register and 39 pints of blood. What Mori didn’t realize was exactly how far one pint goes. But, according to Red Cross coordinator, Linda Gavin, one pint helps three people. They helped 117 people and they wound up with 18 first -time donors. Mori added, “They told me they get excited when they get four new donors. So, for them, 18 was phenomenal.”
Both Mackarey and Mori hope this year’s drive will be an even bigger success. The drive will take place from noon until 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 in the first floor gym inside of the Waverly Community House. They plan on making it as big of a production as last year. “After you donate blood, they have little packets of snacks for sugar. So, we had all these homemade pastries and pizza and hoagies. And each person that registered to give blood was automatically registered to win one of many gift baskets,” Mori explained.
Both women’s mothers touched many other people’s lives and their roots are deep in the community. Mori grew up in Dunmore and her mother hailed from Old Forge and Mackarey’s mother was from West Scranton. Both women now reside in the Abingtons.
“We’ve become dear, dear friends and have a special connection,” Mori stated. “We just hope for this to be a huge success. Our mothers received many blood transfusions through our area hospitals using the Red Cross blood supply and we would like to return the favor by replenishing the supply our mothers so desperately depended on. A donation can help give someone a second chance, another birthday or anniversary.”
For more information, interested donors can call 1-800GIVELIFE or the Waverly Community House at 570-586-8191, extension 2. The Waverly Community House is located at 1115 North Abington Road in Waverly.