‘In honor of Rylie’: Rochester blood drive benefits Boston Children’s Hospital
Rochester resident Rylie Dion stands and smiles next to a blood drive sign outside the Rochester Fire Department. Source: Kristi Weigel
Rochester Police Officer Daniel Allende and Officer Emmanuel Matias pose with Rylie outside the “Bloodmobile.”
Rochester resident Rylie Dion stands and smiles next to a blood drive sign outside the Rochester Fire Department. Source: Kristi Weigel
Rochester Police Officer Daniel Allende and Officer Emmanuel Matias pose with Rylie outside the “Bloodmobile.”
ROCHESTER — For the first time since 2022, five-year-old Rylie Dion celebrated her birthday outside of a hospital.
“We got a water slide and had a bunch of people over, which was so nice,” said Kristi Weigel, Rylie’s mother.
The Rochester resident was diagnosed with Non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium in 2022, which is a rare disease that causes tumors to grow in her lymph nodes. Due to her body being immunodeficient, Rylie has a “hard time fighting things off” and the disease has persisted since her diagnosis in 2022.
To honor Rylie and donate to the Boston Children’s Hospital, the Rochester Fire Department hosted a blood drive on Saturday, July 12 where all 40 appointment slots were filled.
“We’ve done this for three years and this is the first time we’ve completely filled up every spot,” said Weigel.
She emphasized that events like the blood drive remind her that the community supports her family. Several donors at the event shared their stories with Weigel, telling her that their children also received treatment for various health issues at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“It’s just a hard thing to navigate but having things like the blood drive where people rally together really make it better because you realize how many people are cheering on your own daughter,” said Weigel, adding that her gratitude is “indescribable.”
In addition to the Rochester Fire Department, Rochester Police Officers also appeared at the event to support Rylie.
“It was just an amazing feeling that brought me to tears,” said Weigel.
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