Was 150 - NOW MAKE THAT 205!
On Friday November 22nd 2024, at 2-20pm, at the Hindu Temple in Preston, our resident Bard reached his initial target of 200 donations, the majority of which have been whole blood donations. Having been a donor since 1955, he has recently been informed that he is now the oldest regular donor in the UK and has told us that he feels very proud to have helped people less fortunate than himself for the past 71 years. We asked him if 205 would be his final donation? He thought long and hard about this before telling us that while he continues with good health and the NHS are still willing to have him as a donor, He is going to set himself a new target of continuing until he is 90. He added that this is not as daunting as it first sounds as this will occur in a little under 2 years. However, it is doubtful that he will ever reach the record of the American guy who is still donating at 98 years of age – But who knows what the fates may have in store for him!
Looks like the press has caught up with him. Read the report on
http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2020/11/06/uks-oldest-blood-donor-makes-185th-donation-at-83-and-says-he-has-no-plans-to-stop-any-time-soon/
Also a mention in the official Blood Donor magazine on
https://www.blood.co.uk/news-and-campaigns/the-donor/down-memory-lane/derek-rogerson/
Now a video has been made about his efforts, thanks to the Lancashire Post. Watch it on https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8eqeza