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His gift is lifeblood for others. Ohioan intends to donate platelets in 50 states.
John Stucke Al Whitney has an odd way of enjoying his retirement. Rather than spending his days on the golf course or traveling, he's on a quest to donate blood platelets in all 50 states. He reclined Tuesday in an overstuffed chair at the Inland Northwest Blood Center, a smile spreading across his face as nurse supervisor Dawn Beusch inserted a needle into his vein. "Have you given blood recently?" he asked before answering any questions. Whitney's passion for giving isn't drawn from personal tragedy or financial gain. He's been at it since the 1960s, donating gallons of whole blood and more than 616 units of platelets, the part of the blood that helps with clotting. "Go and walk through a cancer ward," he said. "That's why I'm here." Cancer patients, burn victims and organ transplant recipients are among those who often need platelets, said Judi Young, who will retire next year as chief executive officer of the blood center. Platelets are collected through a process known as apheresis. Blood is drawn from the body and routed to a centrifuge that separates platelets from the red blood cells. The platelets are bagged, and the blood returns to the donor. Whitney, 71, gives platelets about once every two weeks. Washington is the 18th state in his "Platelets Across America" mission. He will spend the week in the area speaking to community groups about his cause and the importance of donating blood and platelets. Then he'll donate in Idaho and fly home to Avon Lake, Ohio, near Cleveland. |
