11-year-old Queens boy, a cancer and blood disease warrior, urges blood donations
NEW HYDE PARK, New York (WABC) -- A Queens boy and his family say without blood donation, he wouldn't be alive today. They are urging people in their community to go donate blood.
Back when King Singh was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), as well as a rare blood disease named G6PD, a genetic disorder that affects red blood cells by causing them to break down prematurely.
He underwent nearly four years of daily chemotherapy treatment in the form of pills, intravenous and spinal injections - as well as several blood transfusions.
King's mother, Shameeza Singh, said that her son also suffered terrible treatment side effects, including neuropathy, brain trauma and intussusception.
Now at age 11, King and his mom are joining Northwell Health and New York Blood Center in an urgent appeal for blood donations.
The blood center says there has been a nearly 50% drop in donations from donors ages 16-24 in recent years.
King says that people should come out to help saves lives. Even when he was at his weakest, he was participating in walks for childhood cancer.
He also frequently hosts toy drives, including at this event, for sick children.
King and the NYBC say, "We're back to school and back to work. Vacations may be over, but the need for an increased blood supply continues in order to ensure adequate inventories for surgical care, organ transplantation and cancer treatment."
You can find information on how to be a donor at: https://www.nybc.org/
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