LINCROFT – Brookdale Community College will host a special blood drive from noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, in memory of Ava Pellicane who died at age 3 months.
The drive will be held in the Collins Arena at the Lincroft main campus, 765 Newman Springs Road.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the need for blood is especially critical. This is the fourth year the Ava Pellicone Memorial Blood Drive will be held at Brookdale with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee sponsoring the drive.
Ava was the daughter of Gail Pellicone who gave birth to twins after hemorrhaging severely. Gail Pellicone needed a liter of blood following the emergency C-section during which her twin daughters were born. The twins needed multiple transfusions during the three months they were hospitalized.
“We are thrilled to tell you that Mia is a happy and energetic 7-year-old who loves to dance and play dress-up. Despite everyone’s best efforts, Ava passed away at 3 months old due to intestinal failure,” Pellicone wrote.
“Someone, somewhere took time out of their day to donate blood and, in doing so, they saved my life, Mia’s life and gave us the precious gift of time with Ava. We can never personally thank the donors that saved us, but we can give back in our own way by hosting a blood drive.”
If you cannot donate blood, but want to help in some way, here are some suggestions:
• Donate time: Donate one hour at the blood drive to help donors register or to offer refreshments to donors.
• Donate money: The Ava Pellicone Memorial Nursing Scholarship has been established at Brookdale Community College. Ava weighed just 1 pound, 15 ounces when she was born, which is about the weight of seven rolls of dimes. Donating $35 – the equivalent of seven rolls of dimes – is a meaningful gift. However, any amount is greatly appreciated. All checks can be made out to “Brookdale Foundation” with “Ava Pellicone Scholarship” noted in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to Brookdale Foundation, Brookdale Community College, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738.
• Donate food and household goods. If you are unable to donate blood, but would like to help in some way, please drop off the following items at the blood drive to help members of our community recently affected by Hurricane Sandy: laundry detergent, tinfoil, salad dressing, barbecue sauce, nonperishable food items and pet food. All items will be donated to Clean Ocean Action and go directly to residents of Sea Bright and their pets.”
To schedule an appointment to donate, please call Shannon Ventre at 732-224-2379 or e-mail to sventre@ brookdalecc.edu with the subject line: “Blood Donor Appointment.”
