Stanford Blood Center honors man’s 500th blood donation on his 65th birthday

October 13, 2017
Attention News Desk: Press Release (for immediate release)
MEDIA CONTACT:
Loren Magaña 650-529-5828
lmagana@stanford.edu

STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford Blood Center (SBC) is honoring Stan Jensen for his 500^th blood donation on Monday, October 16. Jensen scheduled his milestone donation three years ago to correspond with his 65^th birthday.

A resident of Pacifica, CA, Jensen has been donating since January 10, 1984, when a coworker pressured him to roll up his sleeve. Jensen donates platelets – a specific type of blood product that can be given every 11 days, as opposed to whole blood which can only be given every 56 days. Platelets help blood clot in patients facing major surgeries or serious injuries.

It has taken Jensen 33 years of faithful donations to reach this incredible milestone. “Donating blood is a selfless way to give back to the world,” he said, “you actually have a chance to save lives without being a first-responder.”

Stanford Blood Center is honoring Jensen’s 500^th donation and 65^th birthday with cake and balloons. “One blood donation can potentially save up to three lives,” SBC Spokesperson, Loren Magaña said. “To think that Stan may have saved up to 1,500 patients in need is incredible, and certainly worth honoring.”

“I donate with Stanford Blood Center because everyone there is so attentive to all of my needs,” Jensen said. “Donating blood is a chance for a normal person to become an anonymous hero.”

The media is invited to join in this celebration at SBC’s Menlo Park center on Monday, October 16, at 445 Burgess Drive 1:30 PM.

If you are interested in becoming a blood donor, please visit sbcdonor.org or call 888-723-7831.

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Stanford Blood Center was created at the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1978 to meet the complex transfusion needs of Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, as well as provide tailored blood products and clinical trial services for school researchers. Today the center provides blood products to 4 local hospitals and is a recognized leader in the field of transfusion medicine. More information is available at stanfordbloodcenter.org.