Ottawa man gives blood for 150th time
An Ottawa man marked a milestone Thursday, donating blood for the 150th time.
"I am proud of it for sure," says 69-year-old Guy LeBlanc.
Guy LeBlanc first donated when he was 19 years old.
"It was at Carleton University and I thought it was something different," said LeBlanc.
He says it soon became part of his routine.
"It was a habit that I got into. When I graduated from Carleton, I went to Ottawa U and during those four years I worked as an orderly at the children’s hospital and that’s when I saw the real need for blood," said LeBlanc.
"My wife worked in the oncology ward, and I would go up and visit occasionally and I saw all the kids who really needed it and that is what strengthened my resolve to give as much as I could, as many times as I could.”
LeBlanc goes to the Canadian Blood Services clinic on Carling Avenue every 56 days - the minimum requirement between donations for men.
"They recognize me for sure!" he says.
LeBlanc says he doesn’t think about the number of people he has impacted during his decades of donating.
"They say something like for every donation you affect four people and that’s a nice number because that makes 600 people, but I don’t really think about it, it’s more like this is a habit I’ve grown into."
He encourages everyone to give.
"It is easy to do, it is one-hour chunk of your life and the people there are really, really nice."
Canadian Blood Services says it is extremely rare for someone to reach the 150-donation milestone like LeBlanc.
Gina Leyva is a spokesperson for Canadian Blood Services.
"Every time you donate blood you are the direct connection to saving someone’s life," said Leyva.
"Sometimes someone going through cancer treatment could require up to 10 donations each week, so for someone to donate blood 150 times, it is a huge and incredible milestone and definitely Guy has helped many, many people.”
Leyva says only four per cent of the eligible Canadian population donate blood.
Leyva says there is a shortage of donations during the winter, and the Carling Avenue Clinic was impacted by this week’s massive snowstorm.
"The clinic on Carling Avenue was open that day, but we were hoping to have 77 people donate and only 15 people were actually able to donate so that was really difficult heading into this week," said Leyva.
LeBlanc has inspired others to donate, including his son Jordan, who now goes with his dad to donate. He has donated 39 times.
Jordan LeBlanc says he is proud of his father.
"When my dad got to 148, 149 I started doing the math and its incredible – it is a lifelong commitment and it’s amazing my dad has been able to help so many people.”
Guy LeBlanc says he will continue to donate blood for as long as he is able to.
"One hundred and fifty is not my final number… I will continue to donate every 56 days.”
To learn more about how you can donate blood, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Israel says it reopened a key Gaza crossing after a rocket attack but the UN says no aid has entered
The Israeli military said Wednesday that it has reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, a key terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid that was closed over the weekend after a Hamas rocket attack killed four Israeli soldiers nearby.