It’s the giving season, and St. Cloud resident Jeff Mann, is giving the gift of life.
An avid blood donor, Mann has donated 539 times, giving over 67 gallons of blood—enough to fill a standard bathtub—with plans to continue.
Mann said his interest in the cause began as a young boy growing up in Pine Hills in Orange County. His grandfather, George Wright, had an office filled with recognition plaques that fascinated Mann. Wright was a regular blood donor, commended for giving a total of 50 gallons in his lifelong efforts.
It seems donating is in Mann’s blood, as he rolled up his sleeves for the first time in 2001. A System Operations Manager for Orlando Utilities Commission, he saw the bus donation event at work and decided to be a part of the effort. The bus would set up at OUC about every eight weeks and Mann started a routine of consistent blood donations.
“For me, it became a habit. Once you get into a habit, it’s easy to continue in that habit,” he said. “My goal is 100 gallons so I’m basically two-thirds of the way there.”
Mann’s blood type is O-positive, which is the most common blood type. It’s also the most needed. Approximately 80% of the population can receive O-positive blood. Each blood donation can save up to three lives, according to blood donation center OneBlood.
Most people donate using the whole blood process, which collects red blood cells, platelets, and plasma in about 45 minutes. Double red blood cell donation and platelet donation are the other ways to give. Each blood component has a specific lifesaving application.
“Red blood cells are used for emergencies, trauma situations and routine surgeries. Plasma is used for various surgeries and treatments,” said Pat Michaels, Director of Media and Public Relations for OneBlood. “Platelets are used for multiple medical treatments, including helping cancer patients by providing the platelets that are depleted during chemo and radiation therapies.”
When Mann learned more about platelet donation, he focused his efforts there, which increased his commitment.
“I thought it was a worthy cause. I thought it was a fulfilling thing, donating for cancer patients, so that’s why I started doing it,” he said.
Beyond the post-donation snacks and t-shirt gifts, Mann was one of the rare donors who received a real reward.
Over time, frequent donors like Mann develop a camaraderie with the OneBlood staff and fellow donors. But one day, a familiar member of the staff was crying when Mann arrived.
“She said her mom had had some issues and she needed a blood transfusion,” said Mann. The staffer told him her mother received blood that he had donated.
“It had actually saved her life. I get emotional just talking about it,” he said. “When you have that happen, I have direct understanding of what it did. So that was pretty significant to me.”
Mann’s grandfather never knew he was the inspiration to donate since he had passed away years before, but Mann said he knew he would have approved.
“He obviously thought it was a worthwhile endeavor and he would have been excited or proud that I kind of felt the same way enough to do it,” he said.
According to OneBlood, about every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. The wintertime sees an increased need for donations into January, National Blood Donor month.
The reason is that people are in holiday mode and are traveling. Blood donation may not be top of mind for them,” Michaels said. “Also, colleges, universities and high schools, that account for 20 percent of the annual blood donations, are out of session.”
Most people are eligible to donate. Donors must be at least 16 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds, and pass a health screening questionnaire. The Big Red Bus and the many donor centers in Central Florida welcome donations year round.
“There’s always a need. There’s never enough,” Mann said. “I think it’s definitely a worthwhile thing to do.”
