If there were an Olympics for blood donation, Sylviane Jones would be in the running for a gold medal this week.
The quality assurance tester at Pacific Blue Cross is donating her 100th pint of blood on Oct. 25, making her the second employee of the heath benefits provider to pass the 100 mark.
Jones donated blood for the first time when she was in college.
After years of donating sporadically, she heard a radio ad on Christmas Eve one year from the Canadian Red Cross (now Canadian Blood Services) calling for donors and decided to drop by once she'd finished getting all her gifts wrapped.
"I thought, 'What a wonderful Christmas present to give. Maybe it will save someone's life.' Since then I have been donating regularly," she said.
Since 2003, Canadian Blood Services has partnered with Pacific Blue Cross with the goal of growing the organization's donor base to 125 regular donors.
These employees have seven chances per year to give one hour of their time, and one pint of their blood, which adds up to 250 units of blood per year.
For Jones, giving is easy.
"For me, it is such a small thing a person can do to help others," she said. "If one hour of my time can save three lives, it is so worth it. If my story can recruit one more donor, I will be happy."
For more information on how to donate blood, visit www.blood.ca or call 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
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