A Team Effort – Lei’s story of beating cancer

By Dan Dowling – regional communications manager

“Someone’s blood and someone’s platelet donation allowed me to get out of the hospital much quicker. I bet I would have been there longer if it wasn’t for those donations.”

When U-32 High School student Lei DeGroot looks back on the past year, he sees more than hospital rooms and chemotherapy treatments. He sees a community that rallied around him, a football team that treated him like family, and countless strangers whose generosity gave him the strength to keep going.

Lei was excited to start the school year as the equipment manager for the U-32 football team. For Lei, being part of the team was about more than football. It was about belonging. It was a great fit and he became known for his intense attention to detail and dedication.

“It was perfect, being part of a team without having to play. It really aligned with his organizational skills,” his mom, Allison Mindel, said.

But in February of 2024, Lei’s life on the sidelines, and his life as a regular high school student, came to an abrupt halt. What began as swollen gums and migraines quickly escalated. Doctors initially suspected an infection, but bloodwork revealed something far more serious: acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

That same night, he was transferred by ambulance to UVM Medical Center. Within 12 hours, he had a central line placed and had started his first round of chemotherapy. Over the next 175 days, Lei underwent four more rounds of chemotherapy. During that time, he received close to 100 units of blood and platelets.

“Platelets are good at protecting you from brain hemorrhages. There were times he couldn’t leave the hospital because he was still transfusion dependent. Those donations made all the difference,” remembers Allison.

Platelets must be transfused within just five days after a donation is made. There is a constant and often critical need for new and current donors to give to keep up with hospital demand.

While Lei fought his battle in the hospital with the help of blood donors, his community at U-32 High School fought to keep his spirits high. The football team, which prides itself on being community-oriented, rallied around their manager, organizing a blood drive at the school in Lei’s honor.

Lei refused to remain sedentary during his long stay at the hospital. Alison said he kept himself busy.

“He was extraordinary in the hospital. He walked 180 laps around the hospital hallways at night, the equivalent of five or six marathons,” recalled Allison.

In October 2025, doctors told Lei he was officially cancer-free. Now happy to be back at school, Lei is focused on rebuilding his life. He’s considering a gap year before college, returning to work, and maybe even rejoining the football team as manager.

“I’m looking forward to basic things like having the privilege to drive again, being able to do something more active, and working,” Lei said.

As the Red Cross faces seasonal shortages, especially during the holidays, Lei and his family are already thinking about ways to give back. Plans are underway for a community blood drive in January, with support from U-32 and local partners.

“Without those donations, he wouldn’t be here,” expressed Allison.

Each day, the Red Cross needs to collect about 12,500 blood donations and nearly 3,000 platelet donations to meet the needs of patients at about 2,500 hospitals and other facilities across the country.

“If you have abundance in your life—money, food, or blood—you should give it away. It could change someone’s life,” said Lei.

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. For patients with cancer like Lei, platelets are often essential to surviving chemotherapy. Unlike whole blood, platelets have a very short shelf life of just five days, meaning the need is constant and urgent.

There’s still time to help save lives this year. Give something that means something and make an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).