Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney, LLP will be sponsoring a blood drive at the law firm’s Providence offices in memory of the late Gianna Cirella of Warwick who faced a challenge too great to fight.
The blood drive will be held in conjunction with the Rhode Island Blood Center. This marks the second consecutive year that Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney is a proud sponsor of this event. The firm’s lawyers, staff and community members will be participating.
On November 1, 2017, Gianna passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. “Not every story has a happy ending,” said her mother, Tara Cirella, adding “but everyone deserves the fighting chance that blood donors give them.”
Tara Cirella, Gianna’s mother, is a longstanding and highly regarded HCC staff member. She is the firm’s billing and accounts receivable coordinator.
Within days of developing a sore throat, Gianna developed pneumonia and sepsis, a life-threatening infection in her blood. During her 16-day fight for life, she needed 174 blood, platelet and plasma transfusions, which came from Rhode Island Blood Center donors.
“Gianna would not have survived one day without blood. I hope she has make people not afraid to donate. I also hope she has shown how very important it is to give blood,” Tara Cirella said.
For information on donating, contact the Rhode Island Blood Center at 800-283-8385.
For information about the Gina Cirella Memorial Fund, visit www.gistrong.org A video tribute to Gianna can be found at http://bit.ly/GiStrong
