|
Saving lives..three at a time |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, 09 April 2008 |
Taber's John Maas is a hero.
By Patricia Willms
For the Times
He doesn't have superpowers but he does have the power to save three lives every time he drives into Lethbridge to donate blood.
Maas has been committed to the blood donation cause since the late 1960s, yet his contributions aren't ones that garner flashy headlines and the attention you might expect from such dedication.
This long-time blood donor began giving as part of a contest between schools in Taber.
Forty years and more than 100 blood donations later, Maas still makes the trek to Lethbridge to donate on a regular basis, because it's something he says he believes in.
Considering each blood donation can be used to help three patients, Maas has helped save or improve the lives of more than 300 people. That definitely earns him hero status.
Over the years, Maas has donated in various places, including mobile clinics in southern Alberta, at the Edmonton blood donor clinic, and at the blood donor clinic in Lethbridge, where he's currently a regular.
In the early years, Maas recalls the emotional incentive to donate after hearing pleas from children's hospitals in the province that required blood to help sick babies. Soon, blood donation simply became part of his life, something he was committed to.
He's so committed, he continues to make time for blood donations during visits to Lethbridge.
"It's a small sacrifice for the good it does," says Maas, who encourages other Taber residents to give blood donation a try.
Blood is used every day to treat accident victims, patients with bleeding disorders, individuals undergoing surgery, transplant recipients, cancer patients, newborn babies and so much more.
To help meet the growing demand for blood and to accommodate donors' requests for clinic hours that are more inline with their busy schedules, Canadian Blood Services has recently announced new hours at the permanent Lethbridge Blood Donor Clinic.
The new hours are intended to make it more convenient for residents of outlying areas to donate blood in Lethbridge.
Tuesdays, the clinic is open from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., while it's open from noon-7:30 p.m. Wendesday and Thursday. Friday and Saturday hours are 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
To make an appointment to donate blood in Lethbridge, or to speak to a nurse about your eligibility to donate, call 1-888-2-DONATE (1 888 236-6283). Join John Maas and others like him who will help Canadian Blood Services collect more than 900,000 units of blood across the country this year. |
