Wade, who is a CBC phlebotomist and retired Springfield firefighter and EMT, is a “Donor for Life” who started his journey in the 80s after he became a firefighter.
“I wanted to be able to give back,” he said. “I saw auto accidents, shootings, stabbings. I’m sure it influenced me, by being able to do more than what I could do as a paramedic.”
Wade had already made 170 donations when he started working at the CBC in 2015.
“When I started at the blood center, I kept donating in Springfield because I liked the people there,” he said.
Wade has continued making both whole blood and platelet donations, which he began in 2004, and maintains an average of six donations a year.
“I like doing whole blood because I have a special antigen that is beneficial, and I also have a high platelet count too, so they like me to do that too,” he said.
Wade retired in 2012 after a 32-year career, but he felt too young to stop working and wanted to continue helping people.
“I was donating in Springfield at the CBC center and taking classes in phlebotomy at Clark State. I got talking to a phlebotomist who said, ‘you should come work for us.’ I finished my phlebotomy at Clark State and went through training,” he said. “I love the work... Two hundred (donations) kind of snuck up on me. I’ll keep donating.”
Although the CBC is not in a shortage, they continue to be affected by blood drive cancellations, said Mark Pompilio, CBC public relations/marketing manager.
“A persistent problem since school resumed in January has been high school blood drive cancellations, particularly on Friday. Friday collections are very important because we have limited hours and fewer mobiles on Saturdays and no whole blood collections on Sundays. The larger high school blood drivers were traditionally held on Fridays, and those large collections could be counted on to boost the hospital supply to get through the weekend,” Pompilio said.
To help try to keep the Friday donations going, Pompilio said they have encouraged people to donate on Fridays at the Dayton CBC with added incentives. The next drive will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and everyone who registers will get a $5 Chick-fil-a gift card, the long-sleeve “Team Donor – Blood Donor Awareness Month” t-shirt, the new “Fight. Heal. Give” face mask and free COVID-19 antibody testing.
Other upcoming drives in Clark and Champaign counties include:
- Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Enon Government Center, 363 E. Main St.
- Monday, Feb. 8 from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Maiden Lane Church of God, 1201 Maiden Lane in Springfield.
- Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Champaign Community, 1512 S. U.S. Highway 68 in Urbana.
- Monday, Feb. 22 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Father Paul Vieson Center, 205 W. Lake Ave. in New Carlisle.
- Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at First Christian Church, 3638 Middle Urbana Road in Springfield.
- Saturday, Feb. 27 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Medway Church, 2250 S. Dayton-Lakeview Road in New Carlisle.
To make an appointment for any blood drive, visit www.DonorTime.com or call 937-461-3220.
Donation requirements include to provide a photo ID that includes your full name, past CBC donors are asked to bring their CBC donor ID card, be at least 17 years of age or 16 years old with parental consent, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good physical health.
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