Blood Drive Saturday In Memory Of Old Bridge Teacher Jessica LoNigro

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — On Saturday, there will be a blood drive in Old Bridge held in memory of a beloved Old Bridge elementary schoolteacher who died from lupus at the age of 33.

The teacher is Jessica Uveges LoNigro, and she was a teacher at Walter M. Schirra Elementary School. The blood drive will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 at St. Thomas Roman Catholic church; it is held by New Jersey Blood Services.

LoNigro died 10 years ago, on December 28, 2014 in Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center in New Brunswick.

LoNigro was also a cheerleading coach. She was a lifelong resident of Old Bridge and a devoted wife of five years to her husband, Damien LoNigro. The couple had no children. In her battle with lupus before her death, LoNigro relied on blood transfusions to keep her alive. That's why her family is asking the community to honor her memory by donating blood, to ensure that it’s available to those in need.

As a thank you, donors at this drive will receive a pair of fuzzy socks or a beanie hat while supplies last.

LoNigro's family has held the blood drive in the years since her death: Since the first community blood drive was held in her memory in 2015, over 2,780 blood donations have been made, helping to save up to 8,340 lives.

When: Saturday, December 28, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where: St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church, 333 Rt. 18 Old Bridge, NJ, 08857
Why: It only takes one hour to donate, and a single donation can save multiple lives. Roughly one in seven hospital admissions require a blood transfusion. Those in need include: cancer patients, accident, burn, or trauma victims, newborn babies and their mothers, transplant recipients, surgery patients, chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or thalassemia, and many more.

To make an appointment at this blood drive, donors can call 1-800-933-2566 or visit this link: https://donate.nybc.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/320173