A MAN from Drumoghill, Manorcunningham has reached a remarkable milestone after donating his 100th pint of blood to the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.
After donating blood for the last 40 years, Frank Morning achieved the landmark donation last year.
Frank first became a blood donor at the age of 18, inspired by his own father’s experience of receiving a number of blood transfusions.
At that time, donations were collected in the Community Centre in Letterkenny. Frank recalls that in those early days, you could get a bottle of Guinness to build your iron back up after each donation.
He wasn’t alone on that first trip to the transfusion service, he brought his brother and some of his friends along, and they all made donations that day.
Since then, Frank has continued to donate regularly. Thee Irish Blood Transfusion Service still comes to Letterkenny several times a year. These days they set up in the Radisson Hotel, which is where Frank gave his 100th pint. This time, he was joined by his two sons.
When asked about what advice he would give to people considering donating blood, Frank said, “I always look forward to going to the appointments because I know my donation is going to help someone.”
“When your donation is sent out to a hospital, you get a text telling you where your donation is being used, so you can see the good you’re doing. I would encourage people to donate because once you get started, you’ll want to keep going.
“Most of us will need a donation at some point in our lives and you’ll never know when you or someone you care about will need a donation.. The staff are kind and helpful, a lot of the staff have been working in the service for years, so you get to know them over time.
“The craic is always good, people talk away to each other and you don’t notice the time passing. You still get refreshments after you donate, but Guinness is off the menu!’
If you are interested in joining the thousands of volunteers whose generosity helps ensure that hospitals have a constant supply of blood for surgeries, emergencies and ongoing treatments, you can begin by checking your eligibility through the new donor eligibility quiz on the IBTS website at www.giveblood.ie.
You can then book your first appointment by calling 1800 731 137. You can also simply call into the Radisson hotel when the Transfusion Service is next in town.
The Transfusion Service will be back in Letterkenny this month, from Monday, March 23 – Thursday, March 26.
Blood donation is a simple act that can make a life-saving difference. Frank’s achievement highlights the transformative impact that regular donors can have.