On Sunday, September 15, 2024, the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation hosted a blood drive in Philadelphia, PA. The Philadelphia team collected 190 units of life-saving blood, including 63 power reds, with 128 first-time donors out of 258 scheduled appointments. Sponsored by the American Red Cross, the event took place at the Market Ballroom in Philadelphia Live!
To mark two decades of blood drives, WeLoveU held three drives on September 15 in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. The event also recognized Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. The focus was to collect blood from diverse donors to support those with Sickle Cell Disease. Volunteers from Maryland, New Jersey, and New York traveled to Philadelphia. Setup teams arrived as early as 6 a.m. to prepare the space for the event.
All three blood drives stayed connected through a special YouTube Live stream. Each city hosted special segments like performances, games, and trivia. The stream kept donors waiting to donate blood entertained while giving the audience at home something to enjoy. In the Market Ballroom, Dr. Monique Bowman, WeLoveU’s health advocate spoke about how to manage Sickle Cell Disease and encouraged first-time donors. She said, “Come out and be a hero and save three lives today!”
Jose Erdinita from 106.1 Rumba joined the Philadelphia drive. He said, “These people are doing a great job. All the happy faces made me feel like we’re not just glad you’re here, but you’re really important to us.” When asked about the importance of donating blood, Jose added, “I always knew the importance of donating blood, so if I don’t do it now, then when?” Jamie Lane from the American Red Cross said, “Your energy and smiles are contagious.”
Statistics show only about 3% of eligible people donate blood each year. Approximately, 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the United States. Since 2004, WeLoveU’s Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah has emphasized the importance of giving blood. To date, WeLoveU has hosted over 670 blood drives worldwide.
3 thoughts on “Celebrating 20 Years of Blood Drives in Philadelphia, PA”
The We love you foundation held an amazing event and with so much love and effort! I am very happy that I was able to donate blood!
What a beautiful event! Everyone was so happy and excited. I was so happy I was able to donate!
This event was amazing so welcoming I would like to express my deep congratulatory to the we love u Foundation on their 20 years of dedication of saving lives.