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Click Here 42 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, January 31, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend December 16, 2003 It’s in the blood: longtime donor gives his 200th pint By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune Richard Welton has donated his body’s blood volume 20 times over, but he isn’t tapped out yet. The American Red Cross Monday recognized Welton for donating his 200th pint of blood — making 25 gallons donated over 50 years. Welton joins five other Jackson County residents who have topped the 25-gallon mark for the Red Cross, said agency consultant Dianne Nicholls. "I’ve eaten a lot of cookies in the past 50 years," joked Welton, 67, of Phoenix,referring to the agency’s snack table. Squeezing a foam ball in his fist at intervals, Welton eked out a pint of A-negative blood in seven minutes Monday. The blood-donation process takes about an hour, but most donors spend only five to eight minutes dispensing blood into a plastic pint bag, nurses said. Welton, a former professor of human anatomy, is dispassionate about the process even though nurses charged with taking his donation may be former students who can’t wait to stick it to him. Advertisement "They always kid me that they’ve been looking forward to putting a needle in me and asking me the questions," he said. Welton has given blood about six times a year since his retirement seven years ago. He has donated blood on a less regular basis since the age of 17, he said. Red Cross officials said Welton’s blood may have assisted more than 600 people. But Welton isn’t out to set any records. He wants others, particularly seniors, to join him. Some may believe they’re too old to donate, but the Red Cross has no upper age limit, Nicholls said, adding that overall health is the agency’s main concern. "If you’re in good health, and you’re 99, we will take your blood," Nicholls said. The Red Cross is almost continually recruiting donors with O-negative blood, Nicholls said, explaining that all patients can receive that type. Eighty-one hospitals in the Red Cross Pacific Northwest region report that their blood supplies last through one day of normal medical procedures, including elective surgeries, cancer treatment and an average amount of traumatic accidents, Nicholls said. However, the holiday season is a critical time for the Red Cross to collect blood, Nicholls said. Donations may fall off if donors are sick or travel out of the area. At the same time, accidents increase and more patients may schedule surgeries, which requires more blood, she said. Anyone 17 or older who weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good health may give blood, allowing 56 days between donations. The Red Cross requires a parent signature for donors younger than 17. For more information, call the Red Cross at 773-3813. Reach reporter Sarah Lemonat 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times