Robert Sandford is one of the first donors each year at the annual blood drive held in memory of his wife, Kimberley Benedyk Sandford. Last year, more than 600 pints of blood were collected through the “A Pint for Kim” blood drive.
Mark Black for the Daily Herald
A few weeks before Kimberley Benedyk Sandford went into hospice care, she made it home from the hospital to bake cookies with her young sons.
The Naperville woman was battling a rare form of cancer, and blood transfusions were her lifeline — the last one making her trip home to bake cookies possible. When she died in 2020, hundreds turned out days later at a blood drive Benedyk Sandford had planned with her family.
That blood drive — “A Pint for Kim” — was held in lieu of a funeral and set a state record with 500 donors. It also set the stage for what has become an annual drive.
Family members hope to set another record on Saturday at Naperville North High School as they make the push to top 1,000 blood donations at the fifth annual “Pint for Kim” drive.
“We have continued to grow each year,” said Kimberley’s sister, Kristyn Benedyk, noting more than 400 people had registered for the blood drive as of Thursday afternoon.
On Thursday, family members joined former Chicago Cubs outfielder Ryan Sweeney and other Chicago Cubs employees at a private mobile blood drive. The Cubs has partnered with the family for the last four years to help promote “A Pint for Kim.”
Like previous years, Saturday’s blood drive includes live music, a car show, food trucks, carnival games and a large raffle. The family-friendly festival is free, and anyone who shows up at the event is entered to win a prize.
“It’s something you can incorporate into your Mother’s Day tradition, and you’re saving lives in honor of another mom,” Benedyk said.
She said her sister planned the first blood drive after learning that cancer patients were the largest recipients of blood donations. It was her sister’s way of giving back and promoting awareness.
As Kimberley Benedyk Sanford, left, lived her final days in 2020 with cancer, her sisters — Kristyn Benedyk and Kathleen Fuglsang — organized the “A Pint for Kim” blood drive. The fifth annual blood drive will be held Saturday at Naperville North High School, where Benedyk Sandford’s two sons attend school.
Courtesy of Sandford family
“It really was surprising,” said Benedyk, adding that she, like many people, thought victims of car crashes or other trauma made up the largest percentage of blood transfusions.
“Everyone knows someone who is affected by cancer … and so many cancer patients need blood transfusions in order to be strong enough to get treatment,” she said, adding that one pint of blood can help three people.
Benedyk noted her sister, who battled cancer for eight years, received more than 40 blood transfusions in her final months to fight off the cancer-induced anemia. She said blood donors helped give the family precious time with Kimberley, including the trip home to make cookies with her children.
“The only reason we had that weekend at home with her was due to blood transfusions,” Benedyk said.
This year, the family hopes to boost donations and work toward a goal of being the largest single-day blood drive in the country by 2026 — the same year Kimberley’s youngest son graduates from Naperville North High School. She said the San Diego Chargers currently hold the record with more than 2,500 pints donated at a single-day blood drive.
And though Benedyk said her sister had a bit of a competitive side, growing the annual drive isn’t about bragging rights.
“Getting that national record will help create so much awareness,” Benedyk said, adding that increased awareness could lead to more blood donations across the country. “The ripple effect … that’s really the target of that national record.”
The “A Pint for Kim” blood drive will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill St. Donors can register for appointments at donate.illinois.versiti.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.
For additional information about A Pint for Kim, visit apintforkim.com.