I started donating blood in my early twenties when a clinic was set up at the post-secondary school I was attending. My donations were sporadic during those early years but they gradually added up and when they got to be 40 and 50 I was inspired to aim for 100 by the time I reached 70. Today I am 71 and have exceeded 100 donations by about 15. I love to see young people coming in to donate and when I get a chance, I pull out my donor card displaying the 100 donations and tell them that if they continue donating regularly they can reach the 100 donation mark much faster than I did. During my last donation an ENTIRE hockey team of 17 and 18 year olds walked into the clinic to donate for the first time! A chill of thrills went down my spine and I'm getting goosebumps and tears again as I write this. They were all coralled into a board room to be oriented as a group so I wasn't able to talk to any of them, but somehow I doubt whether they needed any additional inspiration. Thank you Canadian Blood Services for the awesome work you all do. Blood donation day is always a highlight for me.
