'A Pint for Kim' memorial blood drive honors Naperville woman, aims to help others

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- A Pint for Kim is a charitable movement started by the sisters of a Naperville woman who battled stage 4 appendix cancer.

Kim Sandford passed away last week, but her family is hoping the blood drive held in her honor can help save lives.

Hundreds of people waited patiently to give blood on Sunday, inspired by Sandford's story.

The Naperville wife and mother battled a rare form of cancer for several years. In January, she needed 40 blood and plasma transfusions.

"During that time, it was an eye opener. We all looked around and thought, where is all this blood coming from and is it going to run out?" said Robert Sandford, Kim's husband.

That inspired her family to start the hashtag #APintForKim to raise awareness that a third of the blood collected across the country goes to cancer patients.

It turned into a blood drive with hundreds of people signing up.

"She was so giving and selfless," Neighbor Missy Fee said about Kim Sandford. "Even when she was sick, she always had a smile on her face."

Even those who never met Sandford identified with her desire to help others.

Sandford's family said so many people donating blood in her honor is helping them cope with her loss.

"We just lost Kim on Tuesday and it's been emotionally difficult," Robert Sandford said. "Seeing all these friends come out, it's touching. It's amazing."

Kim's family didn't ask for any monetary donations, only blood.

For more information visit, A Pint for Kim's Facebook page.