Family hosts blood drive in son's memory

Susan Groves, of Fulton, prepares to donate blood.
Susan Groves, of Fulton, prepares to donate blood.

Giving blood saves lives.

That's what the Santuff family, who started the Super Sam Foundation, wanted people to know when they hosted the third annual Super Sam Blood Drive with the American Red Cross on Wednesday at First Christian Church in Fulton.

The Super Sam Foundation was named after Sam Santhuff, a 6-year-old boy who died from a childhood cancer known as Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).

"We lost him in September 2014," Sam's father, Matt Santuff, said. "This is our third blood drive in honor of him. In memory of Sam and honor of the kids, since then we started the Super Sam Foundation. Our goal is to raise money for research and support, and we also do our comfort packs, which we send out to mainly with kids with cancer or any life-altering illness."

Since it began three years ago, Santuff said the Super Sam Blood Drive has become one of the largest in Callaway County.

"The first year we did it, when Sam was still in the fight, we got 86 units of blood, and last year we got about 65 units," he said. "Blood drives in this town are typically 10-15 units of blood, so it's a pretty deal. It means they still remember Sam. That means a lot to us."

Sam's mother, Cassie Santuff, has since started working for the Red Cross. She saw firsthand how receiving blood affected her son.

"He would be pale and lethargic going on the way to get blood and wouldn't really play with his twin sister," she said. "On the way back from getting blood, he'd be pink and perky and ready to go and ready to play. Ava got her brother back for a little while, and he was energetic. For kids, it gives them a chance to play and be a kid again."

She added each donation has the chance to save up to three lives.

"People need to remember that blood only comes from you and I," Matt Santuff said. "You can't create blood."

People who donate are most likely helping those around Mid-Missouri.

"We service all of the local hospitals with the blood supply from this drive," Cassie Santhuff said. "If we have a surplus for any reason, we continue to send that further on out to Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, etc. We'll supply local first, so your blood mostly stays local."

Matt Santuff said the foundation has raised a significant amount of money since its inception.

"We've funded our first grant for a research facility in Oregon. We're pretty proud of that," he said. "It really makes us feel like what we're doing is worthwhile."

The Santuffs are encouraging more people to donate. They said four percent of all money donated goes toward childhood cancer specifically.

"I know we have tons of support from the whole community, because it is for the kids," Cassie Santhuff said.

For more information, go to supersamfoundation.com or visit the American Red Cross' website at redcross.org.