Blood Drive Held for Girl Fighting Cancer

In an attempt to arrest the cancer that is attacking 11-year-old Desi Geestman, Los Angeles area employees of Farmers Insurance Group rolled up their sleeves Wednesday to give blood at the agency’s Telfair Avenue office.

Organizers hoped the daylong event would yield 50 pints of blood to be used in Desi’s numerous transfusions.

Employees also registered with the National Marrow Donor Program--a resource Desi may have to tap if she is unable to use her own bone marrow to fight the disease.

About 95 employees either donated blood or registered as bone marrow donors, said Jim Mulligan, a family friend and district manager in the insurance agency’s Glendale office.

In the event’s early hours, volunteers wearing T-shirts bearing Desi’s photograph chatted amiably as the sixth-grader shyly looked on.

Asked how she was handling all of the attention, Desi said she was scared and nervous, but added: “I’m happy that they’re doing this for me.”

Later on, however, Desi warmed to the spotlight as she returned hugs from well-wishers, granted a television interview and talked with friends who came by.

As a result of chemotherapy, Desi has lost her hair. She has one central-line catheter inserted into her chest area that is used for chemotherapy, blood transfusions and intravenous feedings, when her condition is critical.

Although she is battling neuroblastoma cancer, a form of the disease that attacks the abdominal area, Desi said she still has fun playing video games and getting together with friends.

Wednesday’s event was one of several donor drives staged by family, friends and officials at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte since Desi entered the hospital in February.

Desi’s mother, Ileana Geestman, said she and her husband, Bernie Geestman, are overwhelmed by the generosity of people who have given blood, registered as bone marrow donors or cooked meals for their family, which includes three other children.

“Even with all of our crazy lifestyles, people are willing to stop their lives to help,” the mother said. “There are a lot of kind people in the world.”