CHARLOTTETOWN – A Prince Edward Island woman had one wish for her 60th birthday: a blood donation for every candle on her cake, and then some. On the morning of Nov. 3, Carol O’Hanley’s family, friends and colleagues packed the Canadian Blood Services donor centre in Charlottetown to help make it happen. Her team, dubbed “Bloody Brilliant at 60,” had already made more than 50 donations this year, with more expected at the bash. “It’s hard turning 60, to be honest,” O’Hanley said with a laugh. “So, I wanted to make it something positive.” She’d spent months rallying people to take part. Among them was Stuart Wight, whose blood was flowing a little slower than usual. He and his colleagues at O’Hanley’s brokerage usually race to see who finishes first. “So many people need it, and you never know when it could be you or a loved one,” Wight said. Pam Foy knows that reality firsthand. In 2015, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed blood transfusions during her treatment. “Once I was eligible and in full remission, I decided that I would give back to Canadian Blood Services because they helped me when I needed it most,” Foy said. She has joined O’Hanley’s campaign, with three donations planned this year. Canadian Blood Services is on a mission of its own, to recruit one million new donors by 2030. But for some, getting past the fear of that first appointment is no small feat. “I think there’s still some lack of understanding of what a donation event looks like, what it’s going to feel like,” said Stephen Empringham, the organization’s regional development manager for Atlantic Canada. He added that staff truly care about making the experience enjoyable. “It’s a very seamless and easy process when you walk in the donation centre.” About a dozen of O’Hanley’s recruits this week are facing the needle together as first-time donors. Darlene Balderston remembers finding strength in numbers. “I always wanted to donate and was terrified of needles my whole life. Absolutely terrified,” Balderston said. “I thought, okay, perfect opportunity. I’m going as a group. These are safe people. I’ll be good. And I did it. And it was, honestly, it was the most amazing day ever.” O’Hanley, whose O-negative blood type makes her a universal red blood cell donor, hopes her birthday campaign will have a similarly lasting impact. She’s drawn support from all corners of her life, including her 18-year-old son, who recently became eligible to donate, an old high school friend she hadn’t seen in about two decades. Now, she’s setting her sights on 100 donations by the end of the year - or as many as she can get. “You can literally save a life by coming here and spending less than an hour and donating blood,” O’Hanley said.
