EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a corrected story. Canadian Blood Services erroneously reported Anne Walker was the first woman in Canada to donate blood 1,000 times, when in fact she was just the first woman in Ontario.
When Anne Walker strolled into Canadian Blood Services on Wharncliffe Road in London Thursday morning — something she’s been doing for so many years she can’t remember how long — she had no idea she’d be the first woman in Ontario to donate 1,000 times.
“It’s pretty amazing. I wasn’t aware until today. I’m speechless,” said Walker.
Walker, who lives in South Caradoc, Ont., donated blood for the first time when she was at Western University.
“I saw a sign for a blood clinic, and it must’ve been a good idea at the time because I went and I’ve been doing it ever since,” she said. “I’ve never had a goal, just one donation at a time. It’s something like growing old. It’s just something that you do without thinking, and it catches up, I guess.”
In July, her husband Mick reached the 1,000-donation milestone.
He credits his wife for urging him to donate roughly seven years after a nearly fatal incident involving a tractor.
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With Anne’s donation on Thursday, the couple is the first in Ontario to each donate 1,000 times.
“To come to the London clinic once a week and donate plasma is now routine. Like meeting friends at the coffee shop every Saturday morning, the week does not seem the same without a visit to the clinic,” she said.
For those who are hesitant or skeptical about donating, Anne has a message.
“Give it a try. If you can’t donate blood, there’s dozens of ways you can pay it forward. If you can help somebody, somewhere, someday, that’s great,” she said.
Anne Walker is also excited to join the 1,000 Club. The London-based group is made of seven people who have given 1,000 or more donations. Anne just became the eighth.
After donating, Anne was met with applause, pizza, and cake, and she was also given a plaque of her donor cards, as well as a white polo with “Club 1000” embroidered in red on the left shoulder.
“If one person is helped by my blood donation that is super. I don’t want this to be my claim to fame, I just want to encourage others to donate,” she said.
According to Canadian Blood Services Territory manager Kristen Ungar, one donor gives one unit. That means Walker has given 1,000 units.
“It’s hard to track how many people she’s helped. Often people who need blood usually need more than one unit, but she’s probably saved so many lives. It’s such a huge contribution.”
A male donor can give whole blood every 56 days. Women can donate every 84 days. But Walker is able to donate almost every week because she usually gives plasma, which is used for burn patients, cancer treatment, bleeding disorders, liver diseases and to create some kinds of medication.
Ungar says the clinic’s weekly whole blood quota is 260 units.
“That’s 260 donors. Plus we need more of those to schedule because some of those might be ineligible to donate when they come in. So we’re looking at over 300, 350 people every week,” said Ungar.
Canadian Blood Services is always urging people to donate blood. Check out their website to book an appointment.
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