On Friday evening Roma and I attended the Irish Blood Transfusion Service Awards ceremony at the Northbrook Crowne Plaza hotel in Santry where I received a gold drop to mark 50 blood donations. In all there were 166 people receiving this award - a process that took quite some time. We had a nice meal and got to meet some other donors from around the Dublin area. I look forward to the 100 donor ceremony in a few years time.
Yesterday I went down to see Mum and Dad in Ballingate and I thought it would be a nice idea to get a photo of myself with my Dad Joe and my brother Joe - both of whom have gold drops as well. Dad told me that he started to donate when his own father (PJ) got ill with leukaemia and needed many transfusions. The transfusions kept him alive for a lot longer than he would have done without them. Dad felt that he should "give something back" and kept up the blood donations for many years. He introduced both my brother and myself to donating blood.
You too can donate blood - visit www.giveblood.ie for details. New donors are always made very welcome by the Transfusion Service staff. There is no longer a free bottle of stout, but you can get a nice cuppa and a delicious scone (plus some free pencils!!!).
Hi Eugene,
ReplyDeleteThis is a timely post for me.
I just wanted to thank you guys for generously donating blood.
My Father in-law (a great, great man) is currently in the hospice nearing the end of a very dignified fight with prostate cancer.
A few weeks ago he was the beneficiary of a blood transfusion that gave him a short, but very welcomed boost. In fact, it had such an impact that my wife and I were able to take him out for lunch – something we did not expect to be able to do again. While we acknowledged our fortune at the time, my wife and I will forever hold and treasure this lovely afternoon spent with him.
So… while we will never know if it was blood from your Dad, brother or yourself that has afforded us a memory we will cherish forever, your blood may have done (or will do) the same for others as it has done for us.
Thank you.
Hi - I'm very sorry to hear about your Father-in-law, it must be a tough time for you and your family. I, and the other 166 donors who received awards last Friday, will be very happy to hear that we provided at least some comfort to him.
ReplyDeleteMay God bless you all.
Eugene