On Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 5:30 p.m., Melanie Blendell will be at a Richmond blood clinic, urging on people to do something she’s done 104 times.
Blendell will be at the donor clinic at Thompson Community Centre at 5151 Granville Ave. to cheer on the likes of Richmond councillor Carol Day.
Blendell has made a habit of donating blood since the early ‘90s, when she first gave blood as an 18-year-old student at Steveston High School.
Now age 44, she works as a park operator for Metro Vancouver and knows donating blood is one of the most direct ways you can help someone and that one in two Canadians will either need blood or know someone who will at some point in their lives.
Her sister received blood after being hit by a car when they were both teenagers and Blendell’s mother and a colleague have also needed blood to treat medical conditions.
There are more than 30 open appointments to fill at Wednesday’s clinic, which runs from 1-7 p.m. The next blood clinic in Richmond runs 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Homma Tomekichi elementary at 5100 Brunswick Dr.
Asked why she keeps donating, Blendell said it has “just become a habit” over the years.
“Somebody has to do it and I know a lot of people that don’t, for various reasons.
“I also have a type of blood, O-positive, which many people can receive, so that is another reason to keep going. It’s just a normal thing for me.”
Blendell said she used to donate more often, every two months, but the rules got changed for women recently (due to iron deficiencies), so she now only goes once every three months.
“At first, I thought ‘I’ve got to get to that number, then that number.’ Before I knew it, I was at 100,” she added.
“I’m very healthy, I guess, and that makes it easier for me to keep going. I think I’ll try to get to 150 (donations).”
