Joe Kelly’s first exposure to blood donation came early. As a boy, he accompanied his father to a donation center, enticed by the reward of a donut. What began as a childhood experience would later become a defining part of his life. 

“My dad is O positive so his blood was in heavy demand,” recalled Kelly. “He would always go to the local blood bank in Grand Rapids. I remember as a kid he’d say, ‘Hey Joe, you want a donut?’ and I’d be tricked into going the blood center because they had donuts at the time.

“But I thought it was good my dad was doing that and he explained that he was helping others who needed his blood. As I was donating blood, it just became a thing of helping other people.”

Helping hundreds of people has made blood donation deeply rewarding for Kelly. With his latest platelet donation, he reached a rare milestone of 50 gallons, the equivalent of about 400 pints.

“One time I was donating at the Red Cross and I just became overwhelmed with emotion thinking this donation was going to help someone,” said Kelly, a resident of Meridian Township near Lansing. “I’ve already helped so many people through this process and all it took was my dad to be a role model and show me how to help other people through blood donation.” 

Several years ago Kelly transitioned from donating whole blood to giving platelets, a decision influenced in large part by loved ones who needed blood for medical treatment. Over the years he has amassed a closet full of Red Cross T-shirts he has collected from his years of donating. One shirt, in particular, is his favorite – so much so that he jokes about wanting to wear it at his funeral wake. It reads, “Platelet Donor for Life.”

With only 3 percent of the age-eligibility people donating blood annually, Kelly encourages those who are on the fence to make an appointment. Maintaining a reliable blood supply is essential for all patients, especially those with chronic and acute conditions such as sickle cell disease and cancer.

“It’s about helping people and doing something good with your time,” he said.

By David Olejarz, regional communications director