MEDIA CONTACT: Michele Hyndman at (650) 799-9885 (mhyndman@stanford.edu)

WHAT: "Pay it forward" blood drive
WHO: Media and people interested in donating blood are invited to attend
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 26, from noon to 5 p.m.
WHERE: 209 Hat Creek Court, San Ramon, Calif., 94582

STANFORD, Calif. — Two Stanford Blood Center bloodmobiles will be parked at the San Ramon home of 14-year-old heart transplant recipient Kevin Murphy for the second annual “Pay it forward” blood drive on Feb. 26 from noon to 5 p.m.

Kevin’s health declined rapidly over the course of one month in early 2009 because of dilated cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle, and his only chance for survival was an immediate heart transplant. Feb. 20 marks two years since Kevin, then 12, received a new heart at Stanford's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

Dianna Murphy, Kevin’s mom, believes that hosting a community blood drive is one way they can celebrate the life of Kevin’s organ donor and honor his family. “Without a new heart and blood available when Kevin needed it, he wouldn’t be with us today,” she said. “Donating blood is such a small thing to do that can touch so many lives.”

Last year’s drive collected 61 units of blood, and the Murphys are hoping to beat that number this year. “Last year, mostly friends and family donated. This year, we are hoping to get more of the community to attend as well,” said Murphy. She is distributing fliers to local businesses, and Kevin’s older brother, Bryan, has helped arrange the event.

Bryan, 17, donated at last year’s drive for the first time. “He didn’t want to do it at first,” Kevin said. “I’m very proud of him and Bryan’s happy that he did it.”

Since last year's blood drive, Kevin has played a full season of Little League baseball and Catholic Youth Organization basketball. He is getting ready to start another year of baseball.

Donors should be in good health with no cold or flu symptoms. They must eat well prior to donation, drink fluids and present photo identification at the time of donation. The process takes about an hour. For more information or to schedule an appointment online, please call (888) 723-7831 or visit smstaging.stanford.edu/bloodcenter.

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The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation’s top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://mednews.stanford.edu. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. For information about all three, please visit http://stanfordmedicine.org/about/news.html.

Stanford Blood Center was created at the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1978 to meet the complex transfusion needs of Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, as well as provide tailored blood products and clinical trial services for school researchers. Today the center provides blood products to eight local hospitals and is a recognized leader in the field of transfusion medicine. More information is available at http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu. .