A blood drive will be held in honor of Leah Mangino, a Newtown eighth grader who is going through chemotherapy treatment, on Saturday, September 21 from 9 am to 1 pm at Sandy Hook Fire Department, 18-20 Riverside Road.

Leah was diagnosed in February 2023 with mixed phenotype leukemia, which is a rare type of leukemia that affects both B cells and myeloid cells. Since then, Leah has been going through chemotherapy and has repeatedly received blood donations as part of her treatment.

Leah, her mother Karen Mangino, and the rest of the family received a huge outpouring of love and support from the community after the diagnosis. Karen says that she did not expect to receive the level of support that they did.

“One of the blessings from all of this has been the love and support that we have received across the board in so many ways,” Karen said. “At our worst moments, we have seen the best of people. It’s really been such a blessing.”

Among those who reached out was the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Ladies Auxiliary, who Karen said has “been so phenomenal” and “at the top of the list” in terms of support. The Ladies Auxiliary will host the upcoming blood drive in honor of Leah later this month.

Karen, now a Ladies Auxiliary member for two years, says that the group wanted to help however they could.

“They wanted to help right away, but we wanted Leah to be in a better place and get things lined up to help in a meaningful way,” Karen continued. “Childhood cancer is brutal, and so we wanted to help as many people as we could.”

Something that Karen says has surprised her over the past year was how often cancer patients needed blood transfusions. She says that, when she thought about blood transfusions, that they were mainly for emergencies like car accidents or surgeries.

According to Karen, Leah herself has received 20 different transfusions over the course of the year, and needed a transfusion as recently as August. Karen says that sitting in the clinic and seeing how many other people were waiting for a transfusion helped her realize firsthand just how many people needed blood.

“I just never really thought about it, how often not just leukemia patients, but so many people fighting different illnesses, need blood,” Karen explained. “And we were fortunate because we never had an issue of obtaining blood, but I know that can be a larger issue, so we were trying to figure out the best way to help as many people as we could, shed some light on the need for blood and also the need for support with cancer.”

She points out that Ladies Auxiliary member Judith Neary especially “just really wrapped her arms around it [with her concern and passion], and really is the one who made this happen.”

“And with it being childhood cancer awareness month, we were just like, ‘this is a good time,’” Karen continued. “It’s the perfect time for the blood drive and to say this isn’t just for emergencies, but it is also literally life saving for children.”

Leah originally thought the blood drive was just a regular blood drive, so when she heard it was specifically organized for her, she was surprised.

“I think it’s a good gesture and important and a way to raise awareness,” Leah said. “And it’s good because there’s a blood shortage.”

“I don’t think people realize how easy it is to donate blood … it’s only an hour of your day, and then the impact is like, you can’t even quantify how important it is,” Karen said.

Leah just turned 13 and has worked to stay happy and grounded through her treatment over the past year and a half.

Right after her diagnosis, Leah picked up cooking and now cooks at home in her free time. Karen says that Leah will cook dinner for them, and that she signed Leah up for a Make-a-Wish fundraiser that pairs wish kids with executive chefs in the area. Leah also knits little hats for babies in the NICU when she’s at the hospital and does not have much else to do.

Karen says that she has been with Leah “since day one,” and is appreciative and grateful that their support system lets her be home with her daughter. Besides her mom, Leah says that she is grateful to receive support from her dad, sister, cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and her whole family.

Both Leah and Karen say one thing that has stuck with them is something a doctor said when Leah was in the hospital: that this is just a chapter and not her whole life; that it is the now, but not the forever. It is not the whole story.

“And I go back to that a lot, because, when she was first diagnosed, it felt like we were never going to get out of it. And it was just hard to even imagine life on the other side, and now that Leah’s in maintenance, we’re at the easier part of her treatment so to speak,” Karen said. “It gives you a perspective on life, too; on what’s important and what’s worth fighting over … on what you want to bring into that next phase with you.”

Leah wants other people to know that it does get easier, and that “it’s not your whole life, it’s not your whole story.”

Looking forward, Leah says that things are getting better and that they are all progressing back to normal.

“I think we are looking forward,” Karen said. “You know, there’s always the worry of setbacks and coming back, but I think that even if there were setbacks, like we know that we’re surrounded by a lot of really good people to help us.”

To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS and use Sponsor Code SHFire.

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Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.