ROCKFORD, Ill. (March 11, 2026) – The Rock River Valley Blood Center (RRVBC) is hosting the second annual Ashley and Tilly Russell Memorial, sponsored by the UW Health Critical Care Organ Donation Committee. The blood drive is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, and honors the lives of Ashley Russell and her newborn daughter, Tilly, while raising awareness about the critical need for blood donations.
Ashley, who was diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, was nine months pregnant with her first child when she had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest in November 2024. The labor and delivery team at UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital performed an emergency cesarean section to deliver her daughter, Otiliana “Tilly” Russell. Despite the critical care team’s lifesaving efforts, Ashley did not survive. Her mother, Anne Moorman, made the courageous decision to remove life support and donate her daughter’s tissues after her death. Baby Tilly spent 10 days in the NICU with a comprehensive care team providing around-the-clock care. Tragically, there were severe complications from the emergency delivery and Moorman had to make another brave decision to remove life support and donate her granddaughter’s organs so that others could have a chance at life.
“This drive means so much to me, not only to keep Ashley and Tilly’s memory alive, but to help other families who may be facing medical emergencies,” said Moorman. “You don’t realize how critical it is to have blood available until the moment it becomes essential for someone you love.”
Patients with epilepsy experiencing seizures or seizure‑related emergencies often require intensive medical care that relies on the availability of a strong, stable blood supply for testing, monitoring, and emergency interventions. This blood drive honors Ashley and Tilly while supporting the countless patients whose lives depend on donated blood.
“When you give blood, you become part of someone’s survival story,” said Maggie Anderson, RRVBC marketing and recruitment specialist. “Whether for a patient managing a lifelong blood disorder or someone facing an emergency, every donation has purpose.”
The blood drive will be held on Wednesday, March 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the UW Heart Health Hospital/UW Women and Children’s Hospital, located at 1350 Charles St., Rockford, IL. March 18th would have been Ashley’s 33rd birthday.
As a thank you for their lifesaving contribution, all donors will receive a Culver’s voucher for a pint of ice cream. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit rrvbc.org or contact (815) 965-8751.
About Rock River Valley Blood Center
The Rock River Valley Blood Center is your community blood center and is the only provider of blood products and services to Mercyhealth’s Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton, Mercyhealth’s Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside, Mercyhealth Hospital and Trauma Center-Janesville, Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical Center-Harvard, Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical Center-Walworth, Mercyhealth Hospital and Physician Clinic-Crystal Lake, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital, UW SwedishAmerican Carbone Cancer Center, SwedishAmerican Medical Center-Belvidere, Beloit Health System, Edgerton Hospital and Health Services, FHN-Freeport and Rochelle Community Hospital. The center has four convenient donor centers in Rockford, Freeport, and Belvidere, and the ability to support up to three mobile drives a day. The Rock River Valley Blood Center ensures that the right blood type is available at the right time for local patients whose lives may depend on it. Patients and their families rely on individuals to provide life-giving red blood cells, plasma, and platelets through blood donation.