Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday at the 1st Annual Next Step Blood Drive inside the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. The event could not have worked out any better and we are so grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.
A heartfelt thank you to twin brothers and New England Patriots defensive backs, Jason and Devin McCourty, for their ongoing partnership through Tackle Sickle Cell. We have partnered with the McCourty Twins for the last five years at their fundraising event, Casino Night in Boston, but this was our first time partnering with Devin and Jason to host a life-changing blood drive.
Devin and Jason spent a lot of time talking and laughing with everyone in the room, including our participants living with sickle cell disease. Not only did they donate game used autographed cleats and footballs to raffle off to our blood donors, but they also donated life-saving blood themselves! Devin and Jason just “get it” when it comes to the critical support that young people living with sickle cell disease need and they make sure it happens. Devin and Jason made a lot of people smile yesterday and we couldn’t be more thankful for their thoughtful support of the Next Step community.
A special thank you to Mark, Karen and their American Red Cross team for helping us take blood donations and caring for all donors.
Thank you to everyone at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center for helping us set up the venue to host the event. You were a tremendous help!
Thank you to President Valerie Roberson of Roxbury Community College for visiting our blood drive and for all of your support of our 1st annual blood drive. It was so nice talking with you and your staff! Thank you so much for taking gorgeous photos of the 1st Annual Next Step Blood Drive and sharing them online! The more awareness around sickle cell disease the better, especially during National Sickle Cell Awareness Month!
We also want to give a special shout out and thank you to the Greater Boston Sickle Cell Association for providing us with incredibly helpful information that explained what sickle cell disease is and how it can impact a person’s life.
Thank you to WBZ-TV Channel 4 and WHDH 7 News for covering the important blood drive! We cannot wait to see the special event featured in the Boston news!
The 1st Annual Next Step Blood Drive was a day we will not forget! It was so fun and so rewarding to partner with so many amazing individuals. Thank you! #TackleSC
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