Huntington Helpers: The 'Character' Band-Aid Team

A band of 6 and 7 year olds are starting a movement of their own. When adults  make them use  beige, boring Band-Aids on their little boo-boos, they start to take matters into their own hands.

At 15 months old, 6-year-old Liam Gorman of Huntington was diagnosed with   Diamond Black Fan Anemia. This disease is a rare genetic defect; his body doesn't  produce red blood cells.

Every two or three weeks Liam gets a blood transfusion, and it was during one of those treatments that a plan emerged.  One day at the hospital, Liam discovered that the hospital had eliminated "character" Band-Aids for cheaper, plain bandages.

"Liam was at the hospital for a transfusion," his dad, Anthony, said, when he discovered the change. "The drama was incredible. He had to have a 'regular' Band-Aid. It changed his mood completely."  That's where "Liam said, 'we need Cartoon Band-Aids. No boy or girl should have to have an adult bandage', and this is how it all began."

Recently, Daisy Troop #3369 of Hickville heard about Liam's story through Huntington Patch and decided to start their own "Character-Band-Aid Drive." Together with Southdown Carvel on Wall Street they collected more than 200 boxes in less than two weeks.

They believe the ones their school nurse at Dutch Lane School, in Hicksville, uses  "don't really work" because, "they're plain and then they have to change them when they get home!" Their thinking was that Liam "shouldn't have to wait to feel better until he gets home too, because he uses Band-Aids a lot more than we do!"

 Daisy leader Christine Weih said she was glad that Huntington Patch brought Liam's story to their attention and said a simple thing like a cartoon Band Aid can make a big difference.

Southdown Carvel owners Nahrain and Artie Givargidze, whose son also attends Countrywood Primary Center with Liam,  says, " it is our pleasure to be a part of this great community effort."  Their Band-Aid Box drop is located in the front of their store.

Anthony Gorman, Liam's dad, is preparing for round 2 of the "Character Band-Aid Collection."  During the first round they collected 1,532 boxes of these colorful bandages, and it's not stopping there.

The first Band-Aid drive helped kick off the Countrywood blood drive held in Liam's honor on Feb.9, which yielded 93 pints of blood in less than six hours. Gorman says, "those donations will help save the lives of close to 300 people."

For  those who could not make it for the last blood drive honoring Liam, there's another opportunity Friday from 4-8 p.m.·at the VFW Hall, 51 Juniper Ave., Smithtown. People can donate blood, donate "Character Band Aids" or enter "Be The Match" Bone Marrow Registry (which is just a simple Q-Tip swab of the cheek and gums).

If you can not attend the blood drive, Band-Aids can be mailed to:
Anthony Gorman
Liam's Character Band-Aid Drive
P.O. Box 20223
Huntington Station NY 11746

*Anyone who comes to donate blood at the VFW in Smithtown on Feb. 25  (even if they are declined as donors for medical reasons) will be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift card to Camp Site Sport Shop in Huntington Station.