Teen With Cancer Holds Bandage Drive For Eagle Scout Project

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Twin Cities teen is using bandages to achieve the highest honor in Boy Scouts.

Trent Spangler, 15, and Troop 298 are collecting thousands of adhesive bandages as part of Spangler's community services project, which is required in order to earn Eagle Scout status. He and his troop held a donation drive Saturday at his Apple Valley home.

Spangler will give the bandages to Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

The cause is personal for Spangler, who is living with cancer. He says adhesive bandages, like Band-Aids, are less painful to remove than the cotton and surgical tape that most hospitals use while drawing blood.

"I used to have cancer, so I remember always getting a Band-Aid after a shot or something, and now they're not giving Band-Aids," Spangler said.

He is asking for latex-free bandages. If you missed Saturday's drop off, you can help Spangler accomplish his goal by donating to his GoFundMe page.

Spangler's mother says they have received over 15,000 bandages so far.