A blood drive was held Saturday in memory of a Calgary woman who died at the age of 18. Family, friends and supporters gathered at the Blood Donor Centre to give the gift of life in tribute to Menaal Mullan. She lived with “Thalassemia Major”, a genetic blood disorder that can require regular blood transfusions. She had 300 transfusions in her life. A foundation has been created in her name: Menaa4Life. She had a bone marrow transplant to cure her condition, but died of complications less than a month after turning 18, in 2024. Her family wants to raise awareness about Thalassemia and the importance of blood donation. “I’m actually able to make Menaal proud because she’s watching from there and saying, “Hey, mom, what are you doing?” said Shermin Mullan, Menaal’s mother. “And I just want to make sure people understand that by doing this, we’re actually able to help a lot more, a lot of people out there. It’s not just the blood transfusions; it’s the accidents. It’s young, you know, like anybody that’s going through treatments.” Menaal’s mother says her daughter was always giving back, and now they are asking the community to give in her name. Eighty-five people donated on Saturday, and their goal is to reach a total of 100 donations.
