‘An easy way to save lives’: Calgary mother organizes blood drive in honour of her daughter

A Calgary mom has started a blood drive and says you can donate and give the gift of life to people like her daughter, who passed away last year.

A Calgary mother is rallying community members to donate blood in memory of her daughter, who died nearly two years ago.

Menaal Mullan had a magnetic personality and big laugh, but lived with thalassaemia.

The disorder led to her undergoing 270 blood transfusions before passing away in January 2024.

She was 18 years old.

“Thanks to the generosity of strangers she lived a beautiful life,” said her mother Shermin Mullan, who said they kept her daughter’s medical journey quiet.

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Mullan started the Menaal4Life Foundation and is coordinating a blood drive on Dec. 30, which would have been Menaal’s 20th birthday.

She hopes to bring Calgarians together to give the gift of life.

“This truly is an easy way to save lives,” she said.

Last year, at the first blood drive, they had 69 donors and this year she hopes to get 100.

To continue her daughter’s legacy, Mullan works to raise awareness about thalassaemia, which can only be cured through a bone marrow transplant.

Menaal relied on blood transfusions every three to five weeks.

At age 17, she underwent a bone marrow transplant but due to complications, she died less than a month after her 18th birthday.

Mullan also offers grief support for families cope with the death of a teen.

The Blood Drive takes place Dec. 30 between 8am and 1:20 p.m. at the Calgary Blood Donor Centre, 207 – Ninth Ave. S.W.

To take part you can sign up through www.menaal4life.ca or through Canadian Blood Services by joining the Menaal4Life team.