ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A blood drive Saturday in St. Johns County is honoring an 8-year-old St. Augustine boy who has undergone several rounds of radiation and chemo as he battles medulloblastoma.
Liam Mickley was diagnosed last year and his mother says he’s doing well, but he’s “over the whole cancer treatment thing.”
Renee Mickley said Liam is ready to have his life back and be able to play and swim.
Renee, a nurse who had to quit her job to take care of Liam, said these past several months have been tough, but she is doing much better as well.
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “When we first started chemo it was so scary and we didn’t know what to expect. The first round did not go well. We found out he was allergic to the platelets.
“We are just ready to conquer this and be done, done,” she said.
Liam is going in for a test on Monday to see if he gets the green light to begin his final round of chemo on Tuesday.
“It’s three days in-patient and then the following week it’s one day out-patient,” Renee said. “And we have plans for the summer. We are hoping and praying on a regular basis that we get this taken care of.”
Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a blood drive taking place at Good News Church in St. Augustine.
“He’s had to have multiple transfusions of platelets and blood and I didn’t realize it, how much of that he was going to depend on, and I wanted to be able to give more options for Liam as far as what’s available for blood because it’s not always readily available,” Renee said.
Renee also wants to bring awareness and have blood ready in the blood bank for anyone who needs it.
Renee said all the blood products collected will benefit everyone throughout Northeast Florida.
The blood drive is allowing walks ups or you can make an appointment online.