For nearly half a century, she has worked tirelessly at her job. Now, Leona Woykin who has been so dedicated and devoted to blood donors in Saskatoon and surrounding area is set to retire.
On Friday, Global News visited Woykin at the Canadian Blood Services (CBS) clinic on her last day. In December, she turns 67 years old after working with the organization as a donor care associate for exactly 46 years and five months.
“Anybody who has had any dealings with her can’t help but wish her nothing but the best, and a long, healthy retirement,” blood donor Mike Lynden said.
“She really is just one of those very special people that walks on this planet and I mean that sincerely, God love her.”
Lynden has been in her care more than a dozen times while at the clinic to donate.
“She is truly an inspiration. She is a very, very special, unique individual,” Saskatoon CBS clinic supervisor Koreen Gallant said.
“She can tell you stories about all of the donors who have come in, she remembers really specific details about the donors and I think that’s what sets her apart from everybody else.”
Woykin is the longest serving employee for CBS in Saskatchewan and perhaps the entire country.
“After my first week because back then like we went out of town Monday came back Thursday and it was super busy,” Woykin said.
As a super shy kid from the small town of Langham, Sask., Woykin said at the time she didn’t know if she’d be able to break out of her shell.
“I phoned home and my dad said ‘How was it?’ I said ‘I’m quitting this job, I hate it’ and here I am 46 years later,” Woykin said with a laugh.
For nearly half a century, she has been told stories as to what brought a person to the clinic and who or what inspired them to donate. Woykin said they are all special and sacred but one has always stuck with her involving a mother from rural Saskatchewan.
“She donates because she lost two of her children in a matter of a year and they both received blood,” she explained.
“She cried, I cried and every time she comes in I always somehow manage to look after her.”
It’s the donors and staff that are like family that has made her stay for so long.
There’s something else that makes Woykin so extraordinary. Over the course of her career, she will have drawn blood from approximately 100,000 people – an estimated 100,000 lives that have been saved in the process.
“I think a lot of people are really going to miss her because they look for her when they come through the door, she is really the face of CBS,” Gallant added.
Leona also admitted to being a little scared of her new season of life and an end of an era with CBS.
“I think for the first month I probably won’t do a lot just take some time for me and do nothing, go for lunch, sleep in!”
After nearly five decades, although she is retiring, this every day hero, says she still plans to come back and volunteer.