Iowa Teen's Blood Drive Repays 19 Lifesaving Transfusions

A young cancer survivor in Iowa is turning her second chance at life into dozens of second chances for others.

Riley Mahoney was just entering her teenage years when doctors diagnosed her with leukemia in August 2019. Over the next two and a half years, she received 19 blood and platelet transfusions from anonymous donors who kept her alive through treatment.

Now cancer-free, Riley organized the Gilbert Cancer Warrior Blood Drive on Monday inside her middle school gym. Dozens of community members rolled up their sleeves to donate, answering the call from someone who knows firsthand why every pint matters.

"This is kind of our way of giving back," Riley explained. "When I came here, I was in need of blood and the blood supply was really low at the time. I wanted to bring it up and save people's lives."

This wasn't Riley's first blood drive. The determined teen has organized several events in her hometown, transforming her personal crisis into community action.

Why This Inspires

Riley's story reminds us that gratitude doesn't have to be passive. She couldn't donate blood to herself during treatment, but strangers did. Now she's closing that circle by ensuring others receive the same gift she did.

Blood donations remain in constant demand across the country. Cancer patients like Riley need platelets for clotting. Accident victims need red blood cells. Surgery patients need plasma. Each donation can save up to three lives.

Riley turned her middle school gym into a hub of hope on Monday. Every person who donated because of her story represents someone who might live because of theirs. That's the math of generosity, where one person's courage multiplies into countless lives touched.

The girl who once lay in a hospital bed needing help now stands at the center of a movement to help others.