VIDALIA — A local boy needs an important heart surgery, and a special blood drive will be hosted for him July 26.

The drive, organized by the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office, will benefit Austin Dungan, 7, of Vidalia.

The drive will be from 3 to 7 p.m. July 26 at the Concordia Parish Community Center, 26358 Louisiana 15, in Ferriday.

Austin’s father, Derrick Dungan, a Vidalia firefighter, said the surgery will be to replace a part of Austin’s heart that never grew in after he was born without it.

This will be Austin’s third open-heart surgery, and he had a pre-surgery heart cath done Monday, Derrick Dungan said.

“They’re calling this a replenishment drive because they use a lot of blood during the surgery,” Dungan said.

The Vidalia Fire Department had a similar drive July 2, but the turnout wasn’t as good as expected because of short notice, Dungan said.

“Everyone who is able to donate is urged to support this family during this replenishment drive,” blood drive chairwoman Kathleen Stevens said. “It just takes a few minutes of your time, but it means an awful lot to a family with a sick child.”

The surgery will be performed at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, and though a date has not yet been set, it will likely be in the next two weeks, he said.

Austin is taking everything in stride, Derrick Dungan said.

“He’s just all boy,” he said.

Austin had one of his legs removed when he was fourteen months old, but that hasn’t stopped him from playing coach-pitch baseball in Natchez for the last two years, Derrick said.

“He’s had a rough time for these first seven years,” Derrick Dungan said. “Hopefully we can get this bad stuff behind us.”