Brendan and Christine Healy, who have lived in River Place for 19 years, host an annual blood drive in honor of Dunnovan Healy, who passed away on October 23, 2017 at age 12 from leukemia. They are grateful for the donations and the awareness this is building. In their own words, they recap the event.
The sixth annual Dunnovan Healy Memorial Blood Drive took place in January, and once again our wonderful Four Points neighbors and friends lent their arms and gave their time to save lives. Those donations are already making an immediate impact in our community and it is all the more special when you consider how great the need is and the fact that only 3% of the population donate blood. We offer our sincere thanks to everyone who came, donated to St. Baldrick’s in Dunnovan’s name, or lifted us up with your kind words and show of love.
It has been just over seven years since we lost our beloved son, brother and friend to leukemia, which impacts a person’s ability to make blood. During his treatment, Dunnovan received countless transfusions of whole blood, platelets or plasma. Those donations extended the precious time we had with him – beautiful, happy months – made possible because of the people in Four Points who made the choice to give.
His courage, grace and humor throughout that time inspires us still to this day, but it was only a small part of what made Dunnovan so special. It was his sense of humor and his particular way of seeing the world. One of our favorite memories starts with him watching a YouTube video of someone playing a video game. “I don’t get it,” I told him. “What’s so interesting about watching someone else play a videogame?” Without skipping a beat, or even lifting his eyes from the screen, he calmly replied, “Well, Dad — I see you watching a lot of football on TV, but I don’t see you playing a lot of football outside.”
Dunnovan was completely comfortable in his own skin. He knew that loving yourself and experiencing emotion are ways of being brave. He would allow himself to feel angry or sad, work through it, and then move forward. This lesson guides us today and keeps his memory burning brightly. His courage in sickness and in health is what makes him our hero.
When you take time out of your day to give back to the community and honor Dunnovan’s memory, it means so much to us and the people benefiting from your donation. Without a minimum number of participants, the blood drives won’t occur. So please keep signing up so that We Are Blood will continue coming to Four Points.
It’s not too late to participate! If you donate anytime this year at any We Are Blood location, you can mention the Dunnovan Healy Memorial Blood drive and they will dedicate your donation in his name. Or, if you are able, you can make a financial donation in Dunnovan’s name to St. Baldrick’s at www.stbaldricks.org/kids/mypage/9337. The need for pediatric cancer
research is desperate and every bit helps.
We are planning to schedule the next drive around the same time in late December or early January. As soon as we have a date, we will let everyone know and hope to see you there!
In Love, Courage, and Gratitude,
The Healy’s
