Donating blood is a huge accomplishment! Whether it’s your first donation or your 100thdonation each donation is special. Tell us why you donate at your next visit. We’d love to celebrate with you!
1 donation = 1 pint of whole blood
8 pints of whole blood = 1 gallon
This morning was a very exciting time for all of us at Dak Minn Blood Bank as we celebrated Gary who donated his 40th gallon of blood. Out of 30,000+ donors here at Dak Minn Blood Bank, Gary is the 9th person to have reached this milestone.
Gary started donating whole blood in 1998 and later became a frequent platelet donor in 2007. It is hard for Gary to get around but this morning he stated that, “Giving blood gives me a reason to get up and get around. Because of my physical limitations I can’t do much for others, but this is something I can do to make a difference.”
This is quite an accomplishment for Gary and we just want to say THANK YOU for all you have done for us at Dak Minn Blood Bank and all the patients you have helped with your 40 gallons of blood at Altru Health System.
We are so blessed to have Al as one of our Platelet donors here at Dak Minn Blood Bank! He is always willing to drop what he is doing and come in to donate on the spot when we are in need of a platelet donor.
Today Al reached his 30 gallon bench marker when he donated!! This is quite an accomplishment for Al and we just want to say THANK YOU for all you have done for us at Dak Minn Blood Bank and all the patients you have helped with your 30 gallons of blood at Altru Health System.
We had a reason to celebrate at Dak Minn Blood Bank today as Brad reached his 40th gallon donation! Brad started donating in 2001 as a whole blood donor and soon after became a part of our platelet program. He faithfully donates platelets every other week-24 times/year! Brad is only the 10th person in the history of Dak Minn Blood Bank to reach the 40 gallon milestone.
When asked why he donates Brad says, “I continue to donate because early on as a platelet donor I was called in to donate for a specific cancer patient because she responded specifically to my platelets. Knowing I could have a direct and positive impact on a patient that way made me feel good.” If you’re interested in becoming a platelet donor like Brad contact the staff at the blood bank to learn more.
Thank you Brad for all you have done for us at Dak Minn Blood Bank and all the patients you have helped at Altru Health System over the years. It is greatly appreciated!!
What does 70 gallons mean to you? To most it just means fourteen 5-gallon buckets or one large fish tank. To a donor it is getting stuck with a needle and donating 560 pints. To the Transfusion Department at a hospital it means 1680 lives possibly saved. Seventy gallons is one of the greatest milestones in life not many people can say they reached when donating blood.
To Jerry Bass it was a great accomplishment this morning when that total number of pints donated reached 560. Jerry is the second donor who has reached this milestone with us at Dak Minn Blood Bank since we have opened in 1974.
Jerry started donating in the early 1970s in Crookston, MN while teaching there. Later, he donated during blood drives as he had moved to locations without local blood banks. After he and his family moved to Grand Forks in 1995, he returned to regular donations when he found out about Dak-Minn. After a few blood donations, he started donating platelets. Unlike blood that lasts for 42 days after it is donated, platelets only last 5 days. The demand for platelets and platelet donors is high so Jerry stepped right up and helped fill that need. Jerry describes donating as “a unique, convenient way to help others and it feels good to help in an unusual way”.
Jerry has been on the Dak Minn Blood Bank Board for a few years now and is helping educate the community on the importance of donating blood and blood products. All blood donated at Dak Minn Blood Bank goes to Altru Health System and is used on patients in our community. Dak Minn Blood Bank is a non-profit blood bank with a positive atmosphere, friendly staff and great donors.
What does seventy gallons mean to us at Dak Minn Blood Bank? It means more than words can explain. It means many opportunities for patients to see their loved ones again, many opportunities for staff to see the donors put somebody else’s life a head of their own and donate blood.
A BIG thank you not only to Jerry for reaching this milestone but to all the donors who have donated 1 pint to 70+ gallons. You are the reason we are here you are the reason we go to work every day and you are the reason so many are grateful. Thank you again for all the selfless minutes you take out of your day to help save a life!
Today we celebrated Mike as he reached his 50th gallon donation at Dak Minn Blood Bank! Mike started donating in 1998 as a whole blood donor and in 2008 he started donating platelets. Mike’s passion for donating and helping others is seen with his dedication to donating platelets every other week.
This is quite an accomplishment for a donor to achieve. We are greatly appreciative for the dedication Mike has put towards reaching such a goal he had set for himself and for all the patients that he has helped at Altru Health System over the years. Thank you for all you do!!