Blood donations help 'Super Haven' kick cancer's butt

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Blood donations go a long way.

They can help with a myriad on health conditions like pregnancy complications, sickle cell, even childhood cancer.

Now, the Red Cross is urging people to give.

Hosea Sanders introduces us to a mother who says her little girl wouldn't be her without donors.

Haven James was only four years old when she was diagnosed with leukemia.

ABC7 Great Chicago Blood Drive adding locations on Jan. 17 and 18, 2024

Over the course of her treatment, she received nearly a dozen lifesaving blood transfusions.

Haven James is now a thriving, cancer-free kid.

"To find out in that moment all of a sudden, your worst nightmares have comes true and it's your own child who has a cancer diagnosis, it's just gut wrenching," Laura James, Haven's mother, said.

Haven's mother, Laura, says her road to recovery wouldn't have been as smooth as it was, without blood donors. Now, she's living her best life.

"To see that little girl that was so-so sick and in so much pain for so long now doing back walkovers are flipping in the house all the time and learning cheer routines and everything else that she does, is so miraculous," James said.

Haven's mother says she was trooper throughout the entire treatment process. She even earned a new name.

"She calls herself a superhero," James said. "She has a cape too, it says Super Haven....She talks about it all the time. She's a super hero that kicked cancer's butt."

Haven's mother has a message for people who may be hesitant to roll up their sleeves.

"You never know when it's going to be your time or someone in your families time to have a critical situation where they need to have blood product," James said.

Haven is now in remission, but her family is paying it forward, by hosting blood drives.

"It's a needle poke, and it's 20 minutes in a chair and if you're scared of needles, that's OK," James said. "Haven was scared of needles, too. But, she still managed to fight cancer. So, if my four year old can be a super hero and fight cancer then you can step up and be a blood donor."

The Red Cross tells us the blood supply is critically low right now, but the good news is you can help saves lives.

You can donate blood at one of six locations across the city, suburbs, and northwest Indiana next Wednesday or Thursday.