KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Throughout Lisa Zuk’s life she was an advocate for blood donation, said her father Michael Moore. And when she was diagnosed with breast cancer the day after her 33rd birthday she received blood donations during her two-year battle.
Tuesday, hundreds of people honored her legacy by donating 200 pints of blood to the American Red Cross.
“Today we’re here for the 34th annual Holiday Blood Drive at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo,” Moore said during an interview with FOX 17. “And once again for the fifth year it’s in our daughter Lisa Zuk’s honor.”
Zuk passed away in 2015.
Moore said that she was a K9 handler with Kalamazoo Public Safety and “enjoyed serving her community.” To donate blood was the best way to keep her memory alive.
“This is a very festive atmosphere,” Moore said. “Everybody enjoys coming down. Some of the other K9 officers have already been here once today and they said they’d be back.”
Those officers along with their dogs were on-site throughout the day. The dogs played with the volunteers and the other 200 people who donated blood.
Red Cross blood manager Jane Emanuel said that just one pint can save three lives.
“It’s something meaningful for Christmas because instead of just giving presents they can come in and donate blood” Emanuel said during an interview with FOX 17. “And they really feel good about themselves too.”
After the event, the blood was sent to hospitals in the Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor areas.
Moore said he was grateful for all who gave blood. Even in Zuk’s death, she’s helping people.
“She touched so many different people’s hearts in so many different ways,” Moore said. “It’s just an honor that they continue to do this in her honor.”
