Lifelines (Fall 2001) - In His Mother's Footsteps

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

In His Mother's Footsteps

	Blood Donor Don Franklin

For Don Franklin, donating is like a part of life. Not only does he donate his time to several charitable organizations, but he also donates lifesaving blood and apheresis donations at BCP.

Don attributes his giving attitude to his late mother. “I follow my mother’s lead,” he said. “She was active in church and when I was younger, I couldn’t understand why she was always helping others. Now I do. I thank her for passing that value on to me.”

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Don traveled around a lot as a child, as his father was in the army. Don went to high school in Germany and upon returning to the U.S., he went to college in Oklahoma at Cameron State College, where he first began donating blood. “I started giving blood in my first year at college,” said Don. “I found out from friends that $5 was given for a pint of blood, and I needed gas money, so that’s how I actually got started!”

Don, an Account Manager for Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) for 30 years, moved to the Bay Area in 1968 and continued to donate blood. However, he only started apheresis donations about five years ago. “I’ve wanted to do it for a long time, but I just didn’t feel I had the time,” said Don. “Now, I do it as often as I can and I’ll continue doing it so long as I am healthy.” To date, Don has donated 122 apheresis donations and 45 pints of blood at BCP!

Don says he became more adamant about blood donations when some years ago, he had heard that former Angels and Minnesota Twins baseball player Rod Carew’s daughter, Michelle, was suffering from a rare form of leukemia. “I had heard that they were unable to find a donor,” said Don. “When I heard that news, I realized that although I couldn’t be a blood donor for that girl, I could be a donor for others.” Michelle, unfortunately was never able to find a matching donor in time to save her life, she passed away in 1996.

Don who is “a little over past half a century” in age, says donating apheresis makes him stick to a good diet. “I try to be healthy and eat right,” said Don, who likes to watch movies and talk to BCP’s Apheresis Manager, Mary Duffin, R.N., while sitting in the donation chair. “And then I come in, donate and get my guilt-free doughnut – one of the reasons why I give blood!”

Among the volunteer activities he participates in, Don serves on the Advisory Board for the San Francisco Senior Center, is a senior escort for the St. Anne’s Little Sisters of the Poor, is a reader to grade school children at the St. John’s Educational Threshold Center, is a volunteer at the Rose Resnick Lighthouse for the Blind, and the list
goes on...

However, despite his busy schedule, Don still finds time to read, play softball, hike – and not to mention, encourage people to donate blood. “Giving blood is like providing a life-giving service to those who need it. I try to encourage people to donate all the time, but it’s not always easy,” said Don. “It doesn’t take much time and besides, one receives so much back in return.”