NY Blood Center, Daquara family host blood drive at Greenhouse Cafe

Dozens filed into the Greenhouse Cafe in Bay Ridge on Wednesday to donate blood as part of the Hayley’s Comet Blood Drive, hosted by the Daquara family and the New York Blood Center.

Hayley Daquara was diagnosed with Hurler syndrome at 6 months old. During her life, she had three open-heart surgeries. The last one caused complications that ended her life at just 10 years old.

“She needed red blood cells, she needed platelets, and she was blood product and platelets dependent for a couple of months. And when she had her heart surgery, she needed a third component, which was plasma,” said her father, Bobby Daquara.

The Daquara family started the blood drive in 2009. Hayley spent time at each drive talking to everyone who donated.

Since then, the drive has collected nearly 3,700 lifesaving donations.

Hayley’s father Bobby talks fondly of his daughter and her fearlessness. He says she loved karaoke and music.