DOVER, Del. – With a quick prick of the arm and a little bit of blood Delmarvans have a chance to make a difference on Thursday. The Blood Bank of Delmarva is hosting the third annual Remy’s Heroes blood drive. The event is meant to honor 11-year-old Remy, who has been fighting leukemia since 2022.
Not even a teenager yet, young Remy is already a two-time cancer survivor and bone marrow transplant recipient. Incredibly, that marrow transplant was possible due to his brave sister Evangeline, who was just 3 years old at the time. Remy is the son of Jen Welch, an employee at the Department of Insurance; her workmates actually help to organize this blood drive each year.
“Remy experienced nearly a year of remission before relapsing with the same cancer. At that point, we made the decision to pursue the bone marrow transplant process,” said Remy’s mother, Jen Welsh. “Remy endured intensive chemotherapy along with full-body radiation—treatments that placed tremendous strain on his little body. He required multiple blood transfusions just to sustain him long enough to be ready for a new immune system."
“We celebrate because Remy is a cancer survivor, and this event takes place in September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,” said Delaware Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro.
The entire event will take place on Thursday, September 25th, from 9:00 am to 2:45 pm. It will be hosted at the Delaware Department of Insurance in Dover, which is located at 1351 W. North St., Suite 101.
For anyone interested in participating in this year's blood drive, you can register here.