Canadian Blood Services hope to inspire a new wave of longtime blood donors

Don Meister has been donating blood for more than 40 years.

When Don Meister walks into his local blood donation clinic in Saskatoon, he knows he’ll leave feeling better than when he arrived.

“It’s just always been a great feeling,” he said.

Meister first donated blood in the early 1980s, almost by coincidence. He was a security guard at the university where he passed by a pop-up donor clinic.

“I figured I can set a good example, so I rolled up my sleeve right there and donated,” he said.

Forty years later, he’s donated 306 times. He goes so often that he’s become friends with the staff.

“It’s a fun place for me, if that makes any sense whatsoever,” he said.

1 million donors needed

Meister is the type of lifelong donor that Canadian Blood Services is trying to recruit.

The organization set a goal to attract one million new donors over the next five years to meet growing demand.

In that time, the need for blood could increase by 10 per cent. The demand for plasma could grow by 50 per cent.

Meister would like to see new donors step up to replace the ones who are aging out.

The 73-year-old said his veins aren’t what they used to be, and they are “starting to feel the pressure.” He doesn’t know which donation will be his last.

“If you want to feel good about yourself and you don’t feel like going out and becoming a policeman or a fireman to save lives, come over here and donate blood and save a life,” he said.

Here’s the catch: Meister was also an RCMP officer and volunteer firefighter. He said the people he helped on the job could also be the ones he helped through his blood donations.

“It’s a sense of accomplishment,” he said.

Only 2 per cent of eligible Canadians donate

Only two per cent of Canadians who are eligible donors actually donate.

“That is not sustainable,” said Lisa Beechinor, a business development manager with Canadian Blood Services.

Blood only lasts 42 days, Beechinor said, and most donations are used within the first five days. In cases like car accidents, a patient might need 50 donations worth of blood.

“It’s really essential that we take the time to refill that fridge to make sure we’re taking care of people in our community and across Canada,” she said.

In Winnipeg, Jeff Melnick regularly donates his platelets – a process he’s continued ever since he found out his donations directly help cancer patients.

“I currently have a friend going through cancer treatment,” he said.

“It keeps hitting my family and my friends over and over again. So, I just keep doing it because it is a very important thing for me.”

Donating platelets is a longer process than whole blood donation. Melnick said it takes a couple of hours.

For whole blood donations, donors can be in and out within the hour. The actual blood collection takes a fraction of that time.

“A buddy of mine just did it on Tuesday and he took six minutes,” Melnick said.

Melnick has donated 251 times since first rolling up his sleeve when he was 18. He hopes to double his donations.

“There are people out there that need this product really bad. And you know what? The more of us that can get out there and donate, the better it’s going to be for these recipients,” he said.