MEDICINE HAT, AB – Randy and Sonia Laughlin try and donate blood as often as they can. Their next scheduled appointment is Aug. 8, when the Canadian Blood Services clinic comes through the city. While it may seem like a typical donation, this one carries a historic milestone: it will be the Laughlins’ 200th combined blood donation, a rare feat considering the duration of time required in between donations.
Randy made his first donation more than 40 years ago.
“I received a dare in 1980 to donate blood for somebody that I knew was going in for surgery, and I took the dare seriously and started,” Randy says. “Forty-two years later, here we still are.”
Randy says it’s a pretty cool feeling to be doing this with his daughter.
“Coincidentally, her and I do share the same blood type, so I guess if I ever need a pint, I can call her, if she ever needs one, she can call me,” Randy adds.
Sonia echoes her father’s sentiments. Having worked in the health-care system, she has seen firsthand what blood donations mean to the community.
“I’m a nurse, and so I’ve seen the impact that blood donations can make on people, and it’s not just a terrible crash that can cause somebody to need blood, it can be something [like] kidney disease.”
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