Lifelines (Summer 2001) - Age Ain't Nothing But A Number!

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Age Ain't Nothing But A Number!

	Blood Donor, Bill Blackburn

They say “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number” – at 77, John Glenn was the oldest astronaut to spend nine days in orbit and Sam Gadless ran the New York Marathon at 91. And right here at BCP, we’ve got Bill Blackburn, who at 90, is our oldest blood donor (and still donating) in the Bay Area!

“It was a long time ago,” said Bill of his first blood donation. “I can’t really remember when, but it was after college and back then, it was the popular thing to do.”

Bill, originally from Oak Park, Illinois, worked as a flying instructor in the Navy for three years during World War II and worked for United Airlines as a Maintenance Engineer for 29 years, during which he was “donating blood all the time.”

Not only is Bill a blood donor, but he has volunteered his time at BCP’s Peninsula South Bay Center (PSBC) as well. For 21 years, he served as a runner, delivering blood to hospitals. And in return, not only did Bill get a “Good As Gold Volunteer Award” in 1993, but he got an extra bonus by meeting and marrying Harriette, a PSBC employee, the following year!

“We started out being friends in 1988,” said Harriette, 77, of their love story. “I used to work in the canteen and Bill would come in for coffee and we would talk and well, now we’ve been married for seven years!”

Of Bill still donating blood at 90, Harriette says, “He’s got real good veins!”

Harriette, herself a blood donor since she was 17 when the war broke out, recalls a time in 1998 when Bill had knee surgery. “Bill was told to take a rest and that because of his age, he could stop donating blood,” she said. “But he got mad and decided to give even more!” According to the couple, no one his age has asked to donate blood before, so permission had to be granted for him to continue donating.

“We both realize the importance of donating blood because of the great need for it,” said Harriette. “People just don’t give enough. In fact, I’ve been trying to get people to donate blood since I was 17.” These days, Bill and Harriette donate blood together and can be seen at PSBC every three months.

Bill and Harriette have 10 children, 15 grandchildren and two great-grand children. According to the couple, their eldest son has been a regular donor since his college days in the 1970’s.

In their free time, the couple socialize with their many friends, volunteer at the Senior Citizens Club and because of Bill’s previous association with United Airlines, they sometimes fly to Vancouver for free to see their daughters.