David Prud'homme has donated his blood regularly for the last 58 years and reached a special milestone this week — his 200th donation.
He first gave blood at 17 when a mobile blood clinic came to his town of Trenton, Ont. Prud'homme was the founder of the Amicitia Society at his high school, which raised funds for good causes.
"I talked to the principal and asked if there was any chance that we could get some of the kids downtown to donate and he fully agreed and a couple of teachers drove about a dozen of us down," Prud'homme said.
He was left with both a good feeling of having brought others to donate blood, as well as the knowledge that blood donation was needed by many people.
“That’s what got me started to give regularly,” he added.
Everything went well at Prud'homme's 200th donation and, while at the refreshments table, he even happened to speak with a woman who had donated 171 times.
The process has improved in several ways in the decades since his first donation, he said.
Canadian Blood Services used to ask, in person, questions about sexual history to determine eligibility, but now that information is gathered ahead of time.
“That was kind of awkward for a lot of people — I didn’t care,” Prud'homme said. “I was perfectly comfortable with those kind of things, but for some people that’s uncomfortable. Now it’s automated. You do it at home.”
The appointment process has been streamlined, he added, and there is less waiting for a turn (although donors are still asked to stay and have a snack after making their contribution). Snacks and water are also available pre-donation just in case.
There's even new stretchy bandages that wrap around the arm, so there is no need to put pressure on the spot where the needle was drawn out.
“The whole process has become much more donor friendly," said Prud'homme, who noted his blood type and attitude are the same — B+ (be positive).
He said he keeps donating blood because he knows it goes directly to the person who needs it.
“Blood is going to other people and that’s what I just love about it," Prud'homme said. "And I’ll continue to give, I mean there’s no question. As long as I can give, I plan to continue giving.”
Canadians 17 and older are eligible to donate blood every 56 days for males and every 84 days for females, according to Canadian Blood Services. Plasma can be donated even more frequently — every six to 14 days, depending on the donor program. More information about donating blood can be found at https://www.blood.ca/en/blood/donating-blood.
There is still a huge need for blood donations in Canada. Canadian Blood Services said this year that appointment bookings are not keeping pace with the rise in demand for blood products.
Qualicum Beach hosts four clinics per year, with the next one scheduled for early January.
