Rogers blood drive honouring local entrepreneur who passed away suddenly of rare disease
Posted Oct 2, 2020 04:05:00 PM.
Rogers has launched a blood drive in honour of a local businessman who passed away suddenly from a rare blood disease.
Sean Papineau, owner of multiple Domino's Pizza locations across Ottawa and The Valley, was diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive disease called HLH Syndrome (Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis).
The syndrome causes excessive immune activation, which kills off blood cells at a rapid rate. Over a four week period, Papineau went from fighting what they thought was an average case of pneumonia to being in constant need of blood and platelet transfusions, and this time of year is a historically challenging time for blood donations.
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things even more challenging, so Rogers is asking people to go to blood.ca and book an appointment to give blood platelets and/or financial donations in Papineau's honour.
“The blood Transfusions gave us hope — hope to get through another day, hope that the doctors will have time to find a solution, hope to keep us going, hope to keep Sean fighting,” says Papineau's partner Janis Tompkins. “You can’t fully appreciate the importance of a blood donation, until you experience what it’s like to be on the other side. Thank you for giving us hope.”
In the past year alone, with Papineau's help, Domino's stepped up to sponsor our KiSS 105.3 Father Daughter Ball to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation of Eastern Ontario and has also sponsored Rogers annual Sparkle Holiday event for YMCA families.
Two years ago, during the Tornado tragedy, Domino's provided Rogers with more than 100 pizzas for KiSS 105.3 staff to deliver throughout the community, feeding families and frontline workers.
Rogers is a partner of Village Media.
