RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Fire Department will team up with the Red Cross to host a blood drive in honor of an ailing firefighter.
Jonathan Clarke has served as a city firefighter for 19 years and a master firefighter for a decade.
Last year, Clarke found out about his prognosis from a routine checkup. Doctors diagnosed him with leukemia from bloodwork, and the results changed his outlook on life.
Clarke said the motivation for the blood drive on Wednesday is to help others the way they went to bat for him.
“I can't donate blood anymore. So, I figured well, I can pay it forward by getting some people I know to donate blood because people donated blood. I did need a transfusion. I got blood from somebody who donated so somebody else donates that can help somebody else that needs blood somewhere,” he explained.
The drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first floor of the Richmond Convention Center.
To sign up for an appointment, go to Redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-Red-Cross. All donors will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
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