An Armagh man who recently celebrated his 66th birthday marked the occasion in a truly ‘heartfelt’ way.
Stephen McDonald celebrated his birthday in a unique way that many could not match – with an incredible 114th blood donation.
Stephen, who is a caretaker at Markethill High School, first became a blood donor when he was a student back in 1976, after a campus instructor encouraged the class to attend – so Stephen decided to give it a go.
And now, fast forward 50 years and he is one of under 10 people in Northern Ireland to donate over 100 pints of blood!
Since his first donation, Stephen has never stopped, continuing to donate blood four times a year at his local donation point, Armagh City Hotel.
On his incredible achievement, Stephen said: “To me it’s like getting the oil changed in your car, it’s part of my routine and something I don’t think twice about doing.
“You never know when someone in your family — or someone you know — might need a transfusion.”
Stephen experienced first hand the vital need for blood donations after his twin brother needed heart surgery. The experience strengthened Stephen’s commitment to keep donating and he has now donated a remarkable 114 times, saving up to 342 lives!
And a true testimony to his commitment, when he missed his local community donation session due to being on holidays, on his return, Stephen drove straight from Dublin airport to Belfast City Hospital to ensure he didn’t miss his chance to donate.
To anyone considering becoming a donor, Stephen said: “It’s such a worthwhile cause and a great thing to do for others and for yourself. My biggest message is, if you have ever considered donating and you are eligible please do, because every donation helps save a life.”
For more information on how to donate, click here.
