Belle Vernon dad organizes blood drive in honor of 'superhero' son battling eye cancer

Albert Jasso knows how important it is to have donated blood at the ready during a medical emergency.

Jasso’s 11-year-old son, Cam, recently needed blood transfusions while undergoing chemotherapy treatments for orbital rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the eye.

“This time around, we knew it was going to be more intense, it was going to be a little bit harder on him and there was a possibility he would need blood,” said Jasso, of Belle Vernon. “The second or third treatment, he needed transfusions. It just kind of hit close to home. I was trying to figure out what can I do to help this because it directly affects my son.”

Jasso, in partnership with the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region, is hosting a blood drive in honor of his son this week. The event is from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday in the Marion Elementary School gym, 500 Perry Ave., Washington Township, Fayette County.

Cam was first diagnosed with cancer in 2019 after his dad noticed his eye had begun to bulge. Jasso initially attributed it to a basketball injury. But during a birthday party a few days later, one of Jasso’s friends — who is a nurse — suggested they take Cam to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh for testing.

After undergoing several scans, Cam received his diagnosis.

“He immediately started on chemo treatments, and we did those every Tuesday,” Jasso said. “Six weeks into the chemo treatments, we then traveled to Philadelphia, where he had radiation treatments daily. We did radiation treatments for another six weeks and then we came back and finished his chemo treatments and by the end … the tumor had shrank to the point where we had thought it had disappeared.”

On Jan. 31, however, Cam learned his tumor had returned after 2.5 years of remission.

Cam underwent an additional seven weeks of chemotherapy. On May 9, doctors performed a surgery to remove the tumor and his right eye. The surgery revealed that the cancer had not spread beyond the immediate area, and more scans are scheduled to ensure the tumor was removed fully.

“This kid is a superhero,” Jasso said. “I can’t speak highly enough of him. The stuff that he’s gone through, his determination to get through it, again is phenomenal. He’s my hero.”

According to Jasso, the original 50 slots for the blood drive were quickly filled. Officials recently added 20 more slots, which are open to walk-ins.

Those wanting to sign up for Thursday’s blood drive can do so at redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time.

“I’m hoping that this is something that I can continue to do every year in his honor,” Jasso said. “I don’t want to be back in this situation … but it is close to home and it is impactful.”