Miss USA Donates Blood in Visit to Young Patients
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LOS ANGELES — Yesenia Martinez, 7, fantasizes about being Miss USA one day. On Monday, she did the next best thing; she donned Miss USA’s crown.
“I wore her crown. It looked good,” said Yesenia, a leukemia patient at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
While the Panorama youngster modeled her crown, Kimberly Pressler, this year’s Miss USA, had a pint of blood drawn to donate to Yesenia, who requires frequent blood transfusions and chemotherapy.
Yesenia, whose illness was diagnosed this month, received her second chemotherapy treatment Monday, but said she was feeling good thanks to Pressler’s visit.
Pressler went from room to room in the oncology unit, talking with children and fielding their questions.
“I have a crown and a banner and they put it on, and that makes them feel like they’re the top of the world,” Pressler said. “I just hope I gave them inspiration just to be happy and to not worry about everything that is happening to them.”
Despite her fear of needles and her memory of passing out while giving blood a few years ago, Pressler said she did not hesitate to give blood to Yesenia.
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