Wilmette Super Bowl Sunday blood drive to honor 23-year-old’s memory

A Wilmette Catholic church is hoping so, and patients in need of blood donations will be the winners Sunday as the Seahawks and Patriots take the field for the 2026 Super Bowl.

Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish in Wilmette is hosting a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to honor the life and memory of Kevin Joseph Smith Burke, who died in 2017 at the age of 23 from a rare heart condition, according to the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Extreme winter conditions over the past two weeks have contributed to an approximately 35% drop in blood supplies, according to published reports.

Burke grew up attending the parish and its elementary school. After his death, according to an archdiocese news release, a family friend who was organizing a blood drive at the parish approached Burke’s parents about renaming the event in his honor. They accepted and the number of donors tripled.

Blood donors will benefit from certain advantages by rolling up their sleeves. Each donor will receive a certificate for a pint of Culver’s ice cream, and can be entered to win the top prize, a $200 gift card from Ballyhoo.

While parents donate blood, children can enjoy a craft table. Wilmette Fire Department personnel will also be on hand to greet families.

The parish collaborated with the Wilmette Fire Department, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview and the R. Scott and Rebecca J. Falk Memorial Blood Drive to form the North Shore Blood Donor Alliance. The goal is to help each campaign raise awareness about the need to donate blood.

The blood drive takes place at the St. Francis Xavier campus gymnasium and atrium, 524 Ninth St., Wilmette.

Organizers recommend calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or visiting redcrossblood.org to schedule a time to donate. The drive runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Donors must bring government-issued identification, such as a driver’s license, or their Red Cross donor card or two other forms of identification.

Donations of non-perishable food items for the pantry will also be appreciated.