Montgomery Milestone donation

Brookville donor Chuck Cowan made his milestone 150th lifetime donation with a platelet and plasma donation recently at the Dayton CBC Donor Center. His only regret was that his 19-year-old grandson Rhett was busy with the new school year at Sinclair College and couldn’t donate with him.

Rhett has been inspired to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps, especially after losing his father, Chuck’s son Bradley, in a car accident last year. Rhett already has five lifetime donations, and his last two have been platelet and plasma donations. Chuck and his wife Becky are now guardians of Rhett and his two siblings. “We went from empty nesters to three in the house,” he said.

“He would like to get his jacket,” said Chuck, referring to the “Donor for Life - 100 LTD” jacket Rhett has seen his grandfather wear. “I told him if he keeps it up, he’ll be one of those 500-donation donors some day.”

Chuck started donating whole blood in 1990 when the Phillipsburg Fire Department hosted CBC mobile blood drives and he served as the coordinator. He was a regular whole blood donor at the fire department blood drives and at the Dayton CBC for more than 20 years, then began donating platelets and plasma in 2012.

He consistently keeps a full platelet schedule of 24 donations per year, including all through the pandemic in 2020. He reached his 150th donation with his 17th donation of 2021. He has been pleased to know recently that his platelets went into immediate use as an ideal match for a patient in need.

“When you know it’s going to somebody, it kind of gives you a good feeling,” he said.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changes blood donor eligibility guidelines periodically. Individuals with eligibility questions are invited to email canidonate@cbccts.org. Make an appointment at www.DonorTime. com or call 937-461-3220.