ANCHORAGE, Alaska–Nuvision Credit Union teamed with the Blood Bank of Alaska for the 2nd Annual Asher Banks Memorial Blood Drive.
The credit union hosted the blood drive at its Nuvision Alaska Financial Center in Anchorage, supporting the Blood Bank of Alaska and to help raise community awareness about the need for blood and platelet donations, it said.
“The event was a great success, with enough donations to help as many as 70 local patients in need of potential lifesaving blood,” Nuvision stated. “The credit union thanks all the blood donors for being heroes in the community, as well as its amazing team of volunteers and members who donated at regional blood donation centers throughout Alaska, in Fairbanks, Juneau, Wasilla, and at the Soldotna mobile blood drive.”
The blood drive was established to honor the memory of a three-year-old boy named Asher Banks, who battled leukemia with the “courage of a giant. Following his memorial, a promise was made to help the community. This promise materializes through the Asher Banks Memorial Blood Drive, to honor his legacy by raising awareness of the urgent need for blood donations in Alaska,” according to Nuvision.
Only 2% of Alaskans donate blood annually, while 1 in 3 Alaskans will need a blood donation in their lifetime. Last year (2023) the blood drive had more than 30 people donate blood, with the potential to save as many as 80 lives.