Café holds blood drive in memory of owner’s daughter

Greenhouse Café hosted a blood drive Sept. 6 in memory of Haley Daquara, daughter of Bobby Daquara, the café’s owner.

Haley was diagnosed with Hurler syndrome when she was six months old and died in 2013 at age 10.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the disease is caused by a deficiency of a lysosomal enzyme, IUDA, which aids in the breakdown of dermatan sulfate and heparin sulfate

Since 2009, Bobby Daquara and his family have organized about six drives a year. They collect about 100 pints of blood each time.

Daquara refers to donors as “Haley’s Comets.”

“We have collected 3,752 pints since we started and that can save over 11,000 lives,” he said. “It means the world to us to have the support of our community. This is what Bay Ridge has always been about, neighbors supporting neighbors.”