Katie Scott had a gift for bringing people together. Her energy was contagious, her compassion genuine, and her presence unforgettable. Katie and her husband, Ryan Scott, lived in the Kansas City area and being a young couple, seemed to have everything to look forward to.

“Katie was the light of the room,” Ryan said. “Her friend group was massive. She was involved in everything she did; sports, friends, work. She touched so many people.”

A lifelong athlete and runner, Katie was strong, active, and always on the move. When persistent back pain began to slow her down, doctors initially believed it was sciatica. After months of unanswered questions, she was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer most often found in children and exceptionally rare in adult women.

Because of the tumor’s location, surgery was not an option. Katie underwent nearly 18 months of intensive chemotherapy and radiation.

“The chemotherapy was out of this world,” Ryan shared. “People don’t understand how toxic it is. It completely drains you.”

As treatments progressed, Katie’s blood counts dropped so low that she often could not continue without blood transfusions — moments that revealed just how powerful donated blood could be.

“She’d be exhausted, sleeping most of the day,” Ryan recalled. “Then she’d get a blood transfusion, and the next day, she’d be completely a different person. You could see it. It felt like a transfer of life.”

Even while fighting cancer, Katie never stopped thinking about others. She was deeply intentional about how she wanted to help.

“She didn’t want to ask people for money,” Ryan said. “She told me, ‘I want you to collect blood because no one can take that. 100% of it goes directly to someone who needs it.’”

Katie’s family, as well as her employer, Renaissance Financial, reached out to the American Red Cross and within weeks, plans for the first Katie Scott Blood Drive came together. The drive was scheduled for February 2018, and as it grew closer, Katie worked diligently, calling family, friends and coworkers constantly to ensure they were signed up to donate.

Tragically, Katie never got the opportunity to attend the blood drive that was to be held in her honor. She passed away the night before. In the midst of overwhelming grief, her family and friends faced a heartbreaking decision, but they knew exactly what Katie would want.

The Katie Scott Blood Drive went on.

What could have been a day of quiet mourning instead became an outpouring of love, generosity, and purpose, an embodiment of Katie’s spirit. And it continues to this day, February 2026 will mark the 9^th Annual Katie Scott Blood Drive.

For Katie’s family, the blood drive is more than an annual event, it is a living connection to her legacy. Her mother, Ann Reynolds, says the annual drive reflects exactly who Katie was, adding “Katie always loved helping others in need.”

“I can picture Katie smiling as she watches each person who comes forward to donate,” said her sister, Liz Phillips. “Our family is forever grateful for everyone who has given and continues to give in her honor. We do this for all those fighting their own battles, carrying forward Katie’s spirit of kindness, courage, and love.”

Each year, donors return, many who have been there since the very beginning. “Each year, we continue to see family, friends, and longtime supporters showing up to give a part of themselves,” shared her father, Mark Reynolds. “Thank you to everyone who makes the time and commitment to come. Your generosity keeps Katie’s legacy alive.”

For Katie’s husband, Ryan, the annual blood drive has been a profound source of healing. “It helps, knowing that people are donating in her honor….It means everything.”

Today, the Katie Scott Blood Drive stands as a powerful reminder that even in the face of profound loss, one person’s compassion can create lasting good. Through every donation, Katie’s light lives on in every life saved, every family helped, and every act of kindness inspired by her story.

The Katie Scott Blood Drive is the largest single day blood drive in the Kansas City area – it is scheduled for Friday, February 6^th from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. It is held in five cities: Kansas City, St. Louis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Omaha. Please visit www.redcrossblood.org to find a donation site near you.