A high school senior from Valley Grace Brethren Church in Hagerstown, MD (Dan Pritchett, pastor) is featured in today’s Hagerstown newspaper. Here is an excerpt–to read the entire story, click here.
KNOXVILLE — Kendra Barnhart (pictured) is a high school senior juggling final exams with a part-time job, but over the past few weeks, the 17-year-old South County resident has found time in her busy schedule for a worthy extracurricular: saving lives.
Barnhart is organizing a Red Cross blood drive Saturday at her church, Valley Grace Brethren, south of Hagerstown, as part of a Red Cross scholarship program. She said the drive is being held to honor and support two local cancer patients, Terri Tucker of Big Pool and Darlene Householder of Hagerstown.
Tucker, who teaches Bible studies for the church’s Girls of Grace program, was diagnosed with leukemia before Christmas, Barnhart said. Householder, Barnhart’s cousin, was diagnosed with lymphoma late last year. Both are undergoing their second rounds of chemotherapy, she said.
“It really opens your eyes that it can happen to anyone,” Barnhart said of the initial shock of having two people she knew diagnosed within a short time span. She said both women took the news bravely and are responding well to treatment.