For the past four years, the local American Red Cross has hosted a blood drive in celebration of Hudson Lee, a now 18-year-old senior at Helias High School who overcame leukemia with the help of local blood donors.
The Red Cross and Lee's family teamed up Tuesday to remind people the impact one blood donation can have on one person's life.
Lee was 13 when he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013 and told he would need more than 100 units of blood platelets to survive.
"I thought it was all over because all I had ever heard was that if you have cancer you aren't going to make it," Lee said.
After finding out there was a shortage of blood necessary for Lee's survival, his brother went on the radio to gain community support, Lee's grandmother Darlene Grillos explained.
The first time the family and the American Red Cross teamed up in 2014 for the blood drive in honor of Lee, the Jefferson City community donated 313 units of blood. Since then, that remains the highest amount of blood collected, according to Amanda Okenfuss, account manager at American Red Cross.
"It's patients like Hudson that benefit from our blood drives," Okenfuss said. "He is the living, breathing reason why we do what we do."
Red Cross officials hoped to collect 125 units of blood at Tuesday's drive.
"What people need to understand is that we need at least 175 people to show up just because some people aren't eligible," Okenfuss said.
She said cancer patients account for about 20 percent of use of blood drive donations, noting every pint of blood can impact three people's lives. That means 375 hospital patients could receive blood from Tuesday's drive, Okenfuss added.
Doctors told Lee in July 2016 he was cancer-free, which he called the best feeling in the world.
"Anything is possible; you just have to stay strong and fight through it," Lee said. "I know the drive is in my honor, but it's really for everyone that needs blood, because I went through a lot of units of it throughout my journey."
Lee attends Nichols Career Center in Jefferson City and plans to pursue a career as a chef.
As the family celebrates his remission, they also encourage others to support local blood drives to help those in need.
Nationally, there is a 61,000-unit blood shortfall, according to the American Red Cross.
Okenfuss attributes this to the summer months being a time when people are vacationing, and there are a decreased number of blood drives during May and July.
There are eight different types of blood types, but Okenfuss explained O-negative blood can be used universally without having to be tested in the case of an emergency.
Another blood drive is scheduled 2:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Russellville. Those interested in donating blood should call 1-800-RED-CROSS to schedule an appointment; walk-ins are welcome at the Russellville drive.