Peter Zucca, of Harleysville, continues to help save lives by hosting American Red Cross blood drives and has earned a $2,500 scholarship as a result of his lifesaving efforts.

As part of the Red Cross Leaders Save Lives program, the Lipscomb University freshman hosted several blood drives between Dec. 15 2021 and Jan. 15, 2022 at Towamencin Mennonite Church in Kulpsville, which collected a total 130 blood donations. As a result, Peter was eligible to be entered into a drawing for a scholarship and was chosen as a winner. He was also awarded a gift card.

Peter organizes dozens of blood drives every year through his own Peter Powerhouse Foundation, a non-profit organization that strives improve the lives of children that are currently fighting childhood cancer by providing donations to pediatric cancer treatment facilities and contributing financial support to researchers to improve the lives of childhood cancer survivors.

The Peter Powerhouse Foundation was born out of Peter’s desire to give back. At only 10 months old, he was first diagnosed with cancer. In addition to undergoing chemotherapy, radiation treatment and surgery, Peter received 51 units of lifesaving blood. At age 12, he hosted his first blood drive, and since that time, the partnership between his foundation and the Red Cross has staged hundreds of blood drives and helped to save thousands of lives. Peter also serves on the Board of Directors of the Red Cross Delaware Valley chapter.

The Leaders Save Lives program encourages community-minded high school and college students to host blood drives to help maintain the blood supply for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions.

Students can sign up to host Leaders Save Lives blood drives during seasonal timeframes throughout the year. For more information, visit RedCrossBlood.org/LeadersSaveLives.