NATCHEZ — The season of giving is here and locals have the opportunity to save lives by donating blood in upcoming blood drives hosted by Mississippi Blood Services on Dec. 3, and Dec. 9 and 12.

Mississippi Blood Services representative Sheri Book said two drives have been organized in memory of two Natchez individuals who died from cancer.

Markia Sullivan, 13, attended Robert Lewis Magnet School before she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in December 2016 and died last year in August.

The Markia Sullivan Memorial Blood Drive will take place the week of her Dec. 1 birthday and will be held from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Dec. 3 at Natchez Walmart, Book said.

“Her dad, Marcus Sullivan … and three of his coworkers came to donate blood (in August) after reading about the drive for Madeline King, another teen who was fighting cancer,” Book said. “I asked Marcus why he was donating. He said my daughter, Markia, died a year ago today. His picture almost went viral and teenagers started donating blood honoring Markia and helping Madeline.”

A second memorial blood drive will take place from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12 outside of Mane Event hair salon on Homochitto Street.

Mane Event is hosting the drive to honor one of the salon’s stylists, Karen Nix, who died from leukemia earlier this month.
“People loved her,” Book said. “At her funeral, pastor Doug Broome commented on how so many people of all ages and walks of life came together, united, to give her blood. That was an outpour of love to her and her family that made me feel good. It feels good to hear about the community coming together to help someone.”

Each of these drives will become annual events in Natchez on the birth month of Nix and Sullivan to remember their fight and to celebrate their lives, Book said.

Another blood drive will take place from 12 to 6 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Natchez Moose Lodge to collect blood for other patients fighting the cancer battle this holiday season, Book said.

“I wake up every morning feeling thankful for what I have and for each day that I have thanks to the stories of Karen and Markia,” Book said. “You don’t have to donate for any one person, but it would be wonderful for people to come donate in memory of these two people.”

At each of these drives, Book said donors would receive a special holiday T-shirt to commemorate their gift of blood this holiday season.

“The public is invited to donate at all of these drives,” Book said. “Mississippi Blood Services provides blood to all of our state’s hospitals and hosts special blood drives for those in need to comp their bill for blood.”