Aldergrove’s David Metin will have officially gotten his arm poked 150 times as of Saturday, March 13, but on none of those occasions has he ever actually watched the needle go in.
“I hate needles,” he assured the Aldergrove Star.
Still, that fear hasn’t stopped him from donating blood throughout his life, having offered up the life-saving liquid since his early 20s.
“It was actually an old girlfriend of mine that got me to go,” Metin recalled. “It was her fourth time donating and I was sitting beside her and the nurse kept telling her that her shaker was looking good. I thought she meant me, but she was actually talking about the machine that pumps the blood.”
Taking it as a sign, Metin decided to get in the chair himself on the next visit to the donation clinic.
“I was very nervous the first time,” he recalled.
Now on the cusp of 60, Metin is hitting a milestone after years of a diligent routine that he feels has been nothing more than a way to help others.
“It’s not that important who gets helped, I’m just doing my small part to make a difference,” he said.
Primarily having donated at the clinic on Main Street in Vancouver, he has stuck closer to home as of late because Canadian Blood Services tends to come around Aldergrove on Saturdays.
READ MORE: Study shows fewer than 1 per cent Canadian blood donors had COVID antibodies
In nearly 40 years of blood donation, Metin said there have been few hindrances or complications beyond having to wait after travelling or getting a tattoo.
“On the 20th time, I felt light headed, but I’ve never passed out,” Metin noted.
For anyone concerned with taking the initial steps and donating for the first time, Metin assured that it can be difficult, but the nurses and volunteers are there to help people through.
“I have a great deal of respect for everyone that makes blood donation all possible,” he said.
His recommendation to first time donors is to go with someone who has already been through the process before.
He will receive a 150th blood donation pin after the collection at Parkside Elementary to commemorate the occasion.
As for the most important question regarding the donation process – Metin said his favorite treat up for grabs to boost up on sugar after donating are the chocolate chip cookies.
To book an appointment, visit www.blood.ca.
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