7-year-old Utah boy who survived rare childhood cancer encourages Utahns to donate blood

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A Utah boy who survived a rare childhood cancer is giving back after several people helped him.

Seven-year-old Quinn Danielson received 41 blood transfusions during treatment. His family is encouraging others to donate.

Quinn, his mom, Karen Danielson, and Benjamin Donner from the American Red Cross spoke with ARC Salt Lake about why the donations are needed.

MORE | ARC Salt Lake:

When Quinn was 5 years old doctors discovered he had neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer that developed in nerve tissue on his spine.

“It was a solid tumor on the spine, and then it metastasized to his arms and legs and the rest of his spine,” his mother said.

For more than a year of treatment, he endured chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplants and dozens of blood and platelet transfusions before going into remission.

“I’ve been having cancer for one year and three months, so I’ve survived cancer for one year,” Quinn said.

Karen Danielson talked about when Quinn was diagnosed with cancer.

“There’s no way to describe that feeling,” she said. “There was so much we didn’t know about it – about cancer in general, let along neuroblastoma. It was very hard, especially at the very beginning.”

Danielson said the doctors came up with a treatment plan that helped them know what to do each step of the way.

It was important to Quinn to be part of a blood drive as a way to give back after so many people helped him.

“I think it’d just be helpful for kids who have cancer because that’s how I needed to survive, so I’d like to help kids with cancer,” he said.

Quinn talked about all the people who gave blood, and how much more is needed.

“There’s a lot of people in the hospital that I know that are sick, so I want to help with the blood transfusion for them,” he said.

The community can support Quinn and other children battling cancer during a blood drive Saturday at the Lindon City Community Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Organizers said donors can schedule appointments through the Red Cross using the sponsor code “fightcancer,” and people who donate through May 17 can also receive a $20 Amazon gift card by email.