KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When Noah Sileno was 3 years old, he was first diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It is a kind of cancer that affects blood and bone marrow, disrupting the body's ability to produce healthy blood cells.
In November 2020, he finished more than two years of chemotherapy and rang the cancer-free bell. His family celebrated and he was surrounded by friends, all eager to cheer him on as he enjoyed being cancer-free.
Sadly, Noah is fighting cancer once again after receiving a second diagnosis in October. The community is rallying to help him through the fight.
The Knoxville Police Department on Friday organized a blood drive to help him with the treatment, in partnership with MEDIC Regional Blood Center. Their mobile donation bus was parked at the Knoxville Police Department headquarters through 5 p.m. outside KPD headquarters.
During that time, people were able to give blood and help Noah be cancer-free once again. Blood that was donated during the event will go toward credits for his future blood transfusions, according to KPD.
One lieutenant with KPD came to know Noah and his family through a program called Beads of Courage. She helped organize the drive, and her colleagues said they were glad to help give back.
"We can't do our job without the community support, and this is a way we can give back to one of our community members who has been going through something that... he's really been going through an incredibly difficult battle the better part of his entire life," KPD Public Information Officer Scott Erland said.
Noah showed up at the drive to help encourage people to donate blood generally to help others in need amid the ongoing national shortage.