Belfast man, 82, gives his 660th blood donation - and it all began with impressing a girl
At age 82, a Belfast man has now given his 660th blood donation.
Colin Fell decided to tell his story to promote the transfusion service around Christmastime, when hospitals are at their busiest.
A longstanding platelet donor, Colin first began donating blood in 1962 aged 19.
“I worked in C&C in east Belfast [the drinks plant],” he said.
"The girls working there were all blood donors. I quite liked one of them, so to impress her, I decided to go give blood.”
Upon making his first donation, Colin learned how his blood would be used to treat people in all sorts of emergencies; it can help people going through surgery, illnesses, cancer and childbirth.
According to the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service, his blood is particularly suited to transfusion into babies.
As such, since “every blood and platelet donation saves up to three lives, Colin has saved as many as 1,980 babies’ lives – a truly staggering achievement!”
Mr Fell said: “Think about those who need it, what it means to them and their families. What if it was your wee one that needed it?”
“Do it. I was nervous before my first donation, but there is nothing to it. Think of those people who need it.
“The staff are great and very friendly too.”
One of those who has been on the receiving end of blood transfusions is three-year-old Aria Stevenson from Londonderry.
She has received five blood transfusions and six platelet transfusions, meaning up to 11 people have helped her fight acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a blood cancer.
Aria’s mum, Gillian, recalls the “miraculous” and “massive difference” blood and platelet transfusions made to Aria, especially when she underwent intensive chemotherapy last Christmas.
“Around this time last year, she was starting her really intensive chemo. She was getting platelet transfusions every two or three weeks because the chemo was just eating her platelets up.
“Without the blood and platelet transfusions, Aria wouldn’t be here with us today. That’s what was keeping her alive. Without those, she wouldn’t have been able to get through the intensive chemo.”
The transfusion service said that Northern Ireland needs 1,200 blood donors every week – that’s roughly one every eight minutes.
For more information, visit www.nibts.org or ring 08085 534 653 .