Anne Almoney and her husband Doug are monthly platelet donors at the Dayton Community Blood Center, except for the summer months they spend in the cooler climate of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They chose the weekend of an excessive heat warning to return to their non-air conditioned home in Oakwood – and without breaking a sweat, used the homecoming to celebrate Anne’s milestone 100th lifetime blood donation.
The Almoneys have enjoyed more time to travel and donate blood together since Doug retired from his dental practice in Kettering eight years ago. Anne leads the way in lifetime donations. She reached her milestone during their Tuesday, July 26 visit to the Dayton CBC with Doug in the next donor bed making his 67th lifetime donation.
“I started donating whole blood when my mother-in-law’s father needed blood,” she recalled. “It has to be 35 years ago.” Doug began donating platelets in 2005 and Anne was quick to follow.
“I got called in once to donate,” said Doug. “I started doing it too,” said Anne, recalling a specific request to donate white blood cells on Dec. 23, 2006. “I donated white cells for a young boy who was not going to make it to Christmas. Now we donate once a month.”
Anne and Doug have three children and eight grandchildren. One still lives nearby but the others are in Boston and Colorado, so visits often mean travel.
It’s a nine-hour drive to Drummond Island in Lake Huron, where they spend summers boating and fishing. “It’s been pretty hot up there this summer too,” said Anne, “But there have been times I wore longs sleeves and long pants all summer.”
They made a rare late-July return to Oakwood so their son from Telluride, Colorado and his family could enjoy the lake. Anne says excessive heat warning aside, Ohio summers with no air conditioning don’t bother her, and needles are not a big deal either.
“If I mention going to donate my daughter says, ‘I don’t want to hear about it!’” Anne said. “I probably felt the same way before I did it. It does make you feel good.”
Solvita Blood Center 