The Journey to 580: A Lifetime of Blood Donation
By Kristin Stankus
Her story of blood donation starts like many of our donors’ stories. Thirty years ago, Linda was attending college at the University of Connecticut and there was a blood drive on campus, so she decided to give. Recognizing the importance of donating this precious resource, she continued to donate through the years. From making donations during mobile drives at her office to later making donations at Stanford Blood Center (SBC), Linda has since made nearly 600 donations.
It has been quite a journey for Linda. She was the first female donor at SBC to reach the 500 donations milestone. Staff, volunteers and donors have come to know Linda well, and her donations have potentially saved more than one thousand lives. When asked why she started donating, Linda replied: “I started donating because blood is so precious. I was healthy and able to donate so I wanted to do it to help others in need.”
On March 13, we celebrated Linda’s 580th donation, which also happened to be her last donation at SBC, as she will soon be moving to Oregon to retire. It was a bittersweet celebration – although we couldn’t be happier to for Linda as she embarks on her new adventure – we are sad to say goodbye to a to a very special donor and friend.
On the topic of retiring and relocating, Linda said, “I am looking forward to moving to a small beach town, volunteering in my community, getting to know the locals, and becoming a beach bum.”
Good luck and happy trails, Linda. You will be missed!
To make an appointment at Stanford Blood Center, visit our website or call 888-723-7831.