Community call to arms: a child asks Chattanooga to give blood
In a small, steady voice recorded between treatments, a 10-year-old Chattanooga boy who is undergoing chemotherapy has issued a plea with outsized weight: give blood. The request is not abstract. Blood Assurance officials say the region has had under a two-day supply of several blood types for weeks, and the child’s message accompanies a drive organized in his honor that aims to replenish local stocks.
The blood drive will be held Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Crossing on Standifer Gap Road. Donors are encouraged to schedule appointments through Blood Assurance’s website, though organizers say some walk-in slots will be available during the event.
"Hi, I'm Timmy, and I'm fighting stage three Burkitt lymphoma. And tons of kids that are going through cancer, they might need transfusions, and lots of those kids usually can't go throughout cancer and can't keep on fighting. So please give to those kids and let them just have better days ahead."
The child, identified as Timmy Shaver, is being treated for stage three Burkitt lymphoma, described by Blood Assurance as a highly aggressive form of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His family and Blood Assurance say Timmy recorded the message himself and that his sisters will attend the drive to thank donors and hand out handmade "testimony" bracelets.
Why the drive matters locally
Blood banks maintain fluid inventories to support surgeries, trauma care and cancer treatments. For pediatric oncology patients, regular transfusions can be a lifesaving component of care when chemotherapy causes dangerously low blood counts. In recent weeks, Blood Assurance reported that supplies for several blood types have dropped below a two-day threshold, a level that can constrain hospital treatments and elective procedures.
| What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Blood drive in honor of Timmy Shaver | Tuesday, 2:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. | The Crossing, Standifer Gap Road, Chattanooga |
Local donors can help prevent difficult choices for clinicians and families by giving now. Organizers stress that appointments smooth the process but that the need is immediate enough to welcome walk-ins.
How Chattanooga residents can participate
Blood donation centers often rely on predictable volunteer turnout to maintain supply. For those thinking of helping, Blood Assurance recommends donors bring a photo ID, eat a healthy meal beforehand, and make sure they are hydrated. Eligibility questions can be answered on the organization’s website or by phone.
- Schedule: Appointments preferred; limited walk-ins accepted.
- Location: The Crossing, Standifer Gap Road.
- Why now: Several blood types are below a two-day supply, affecting local hospitals and pediatric patients like Timmy.
The image of a young child using his own voice to rally the community underscores the immediacy of the situation. It also highlights a truth about Chattanooga: civic life here is often threaded through small acts of care. When a child asks for help, neighbors frequently respond. Health systems and blood banks depend on that civic muscle.
For families already facing cancer treatments, the community’s response can make a practical difference in day-to-day care — the timing of transfusions, the ability to proceed with planned chemotherapy, and the overall resilience of hospital services. The drive is both symbolic and utilitarian: a direct appeal and a material boost to an ailing inventory.
Those who cannot donate themselves can still support the effort by sharing the drive’s details with friends, family and local groups. Blood Assurance’s site offers appointment slots and eligibility information. Organizers say the bracelets Timmy’s sisters will distribute are a small gesture of gratitude — a reminder that each pint given could bring another small person closer to better days.
