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Island blood drive turns loss into lifesaving impact

Published 9:00 am Monday, April 20, 2026

Kyra’s Hope Foundation partnered with Bloodworks Northwest to host a community blood drive on April 18 to support local patients, including children currently undergoing cancer treatment who rely on transfusions to stay in the fight, according to the foundation. The event took place at the south end QFC parking lot. Kyra Gupta, a 12-year-old Mercer Island resident, passed away on Nov. 9, 2025, from a rare type of pediatric cancer called metastatic Ewing sarcoma. From left to right, Julie Hsieh, Gautam Kumar, Alka Kumari, Piyusha Pandya and Shaivi Pandya. “A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Mercer Island community — friends, parents and students — who showed up this past Saturday for the “Gift of Life” blood drive. Every unit collected represents a “tomorrow” for a child in treatment and a “second chance” for a family in crisis. Seeing the blood drive bus completely full was a powerful reminder that while we lost our Kyra five months ago, her light continues to shine through your kindness,” the foundation said. Courtesy photo
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Kyra’s Hope Foundation partnered with Bloodworks Northwest to host a community blood drive on April 18 to support local patients, including children currently undergoing cancer treatment who rely on transfusions to stay in the fight, according to the foundation. The event took place at the south end QFC parking lot. Kyra Gupta, a 12-year-old Mercer Island resident, passed away on Nov. 9, 2025, from a rare type of pediatric cancer called metastatic Ewing sarcoma. From left to right, Julie Hsieh, Gautam Kumar, Alka Kumari, Piyusha Pandya and Shaivi Pandya. “A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Mercer Island community — friends, parents and students — who showed up this past Saturday for the “Gift of Life” blood drive. Every unit collected represents a “tomorrow” for a child in treatment and a “second chance” for a family in crisis. Seeing the blood drive bus completely full was a powerful reminder that while we lost our Kyra five months ago, her light continues to shine through your kindness,” the foundation said. Courtesy photo

Kyra’s Hope Foundation partnered with Bloodworks Northwest to host a community blood drive on April 18 to support local patients, including children currently undergoing cancer treatment who rely on transfusions to stay in the fight, according to the foundation. The event took place at the south end QFC parking lot. Kyra Gupta, a 12-year-old Mercer Island resident, passed away on Nov. 9, 2025, from a rare type of pediatric cancer called metastatic Ewing sarcoma. From left to right, Julie Hsieh, Gautam Kumar, Alka Kumari, Piyusha Pandya and Shaivi Pandya. “A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Mercer Island community — friends, parents and students — who showed up this past Saturday for the “Gift of Life” blood drive. Every unit collected represents a “tomorrow” for a child in treatment and a “second chance” for a family in crisis. Seeing the blood drive bus completely full was a powerful reminder that while we lost our Kyra five months ago, her light continues to shine through your kindness,” the foundation said. Courtesy photo
Kyra Gupta. Courtesy photo

Kyra’s Hope Foundation partnered with Bloodworks Northwest to host a community blood drive on April 18 to support local patients, including children currently undergoing cancer treatment who rely on transfusions to stay in the fight, according to the foundation. The event took place at the south end QFC parking lot. Kyra Gupta, a 12-year-old Mercer Island resident, passed away on Nov. 9, 2025, from a rare type of pediatric cancer called metastatic Ewing sarcoma. From left to right, Julie Hsieh, Gautam Kumar, Alka Kumari, Piyusha Pandya and Shaivi Pandya. “A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Mercer Island community — friends, parents and students — who showed up this past Saturday for the “Gift of Life” blood drive. Every unit collected represents a “tomorrow” for a child in treatment and a “second chance” for a family in crisis. Seeing the blood drive bus completely full was a powerful reminder that while we lost our Kyra five months ago, her light continues to shine through your kindness,” the foundation said. Courtesy photo

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