Cancer survivor Tori Bergschneider reunited with one of her blood donors at Children’s Mercy, where she received treatment as a teenager
KANSAS CITY, MO (October 15, 2026) – Nearly a decade after receiving lifesaving blood transfusions during cancer treatment, Community Blood Center (CBC) employee and cancer survivor Tori Bergschneider met one of the blood donors who helped save her life.
On Thursday, October 15, CBC and Children’s Mercy brought Tori together with blood donor Dayna Breitenstein for a special reunion at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, the same hospital where Tori received treatment nearly 10 years ago.
At just 15 years old, Tori was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and underwent six and a half months of intensive chemotherapy at Children’s Mercy. Throughout her treatment, she relied on approximately 12–14 blood transfusions to support her recovery, and received her final transfusion in March 2017. She was declared in remission that June.
Today, Tori is cancer-free and works as an Operational Lead at Community Blood Center, the very organization that provided the blood products she needed during treatment. Her experience as a patient helped inspire her career in blood banking, where she now plays a role in ensuring lifesaving blood products are available for others.
Thursday’s reunion marked a full-circle moment as Tori met Dayna, one of the volunteer blood donors whose generosity helped her through treatment.
“Meeting a donor who’s donation saved my life and be able to look her in the eyes and tell her thank you from the bottom of my heart is a moment I will remember forever,” said Tori Bergschneider, CBC Employee, Cancer Survivor and Blood Recipient.” Dayna taking 45 minutes out of her day is the reason I was able to go to my junior year prom. Dayna’s 45-minute sacrifice is the reason I grew up. She said she felt like she “didn’t do much”, I’m sure that’s true for her, but to me and my family, it meant the world. It meant life! Donors like her are the reason I was able to beat cancer and now make my own mark on the community.
The event brought together representatives from CBC and Children’s Mercy, along with Tori, Dayna and members of Tori’s family, to celebrate the impact of blood donation and the connection between donors and the patients they help.
“Stories like Tori’s are a powerful reminder of the lifesaving impact of blood donation,” said Chelsea Tibbetts, Vice President of Operations at Community Blood Center. “Most blood donors never have the opportunity to meet the patients they help, but every donation makes a difference for someone in our community. Seeing Tori’s journey come full circle, from receiving blood transfusions as a teenager to now helping support our mission at Community Blood Center, is incredibly special. We hope her story inspires more people to roll up their sleeves and give blood.”
Every blood donation has the potential to impact someone like Tori. While donors rarely have the opportunity to meet the patients they help, Thursday’s reunion served as a powerful reminder of the people and stories behind every donation.
Help make more stories like Tori’s possible. Community Blood Center encourages eligible individuals to schedule a blood donation at savealifenow.org or call 877.468.6844.
