'It's made such an impact': blood donors help save life of Winnipeg boy diagnosed with leukemia

3-year-old James O'Neil dresses up as one of his favourite superheroes

WINNIPEG — Donating blood won’t necessarily unveil any superpowers, but it can most definitely save a life, including that of 3-year-old James O’Neil.

While not a superhero in the sense of his favourite characters depicted in his Marvel comic books, James is fighting his own evil villain.

He was diagnosed with leukemia 15 months ago and has powered through high doses of chemotherapy, underwent complicated procedures, and spent more than 100 nights in hospital.

He now has a port in his chest where chemotherapy was administered, but it's also how he received life-saving blood products.

”The first night that he was in the hospital, he needed blood platelet transfusion immediately and it blew my mind when they brought out these bags of blood,” said Eoghan O'Neil, James’s father. “And you think someone that doesn’t know James, doesn’t know his story, doesn’t know us at all is willing to go and donate blood because they know there is a need for people like James.”

Gillian, James’ mother said the gratitude they feel for his donors is difficult to put into words.

“For the people that do take the time and go and donate blood because it’s made such an impact to our lives and we are just truly grateful,” said Gillian.

James is now in a phase of chemo called maintenance where he will receive a less intense form of the powerful drug for about a year.

So, like all good superheroes, James will have to be vigilant against his bad guy - cancer.

Those donors are like a league of superhero friends to James, proving you don't actually need superpowers to be a hero.

Knowing he still has a fight on his hands, his parents rallied friends and family to join James's league of superheroes by donating blood and they hope others will consider doing it too.

James’s story is part of the month-long ‘Hero in You’ blood donor campaign.

Its goal is to fill more than a thousand blood appointments in the month of November so more people like James have a fighting chance at survival.

“Without it, people like James wouldn’t be able to get through their treatment,” Eoghan said.