By Mariwyn Evans, American Red Cross

Wartrace, TN, native Cedric Keele belongs to an elite group—the 1 percent of all registered donors who have given 20 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross. But his 40-year journey to reach this milestone began more simply—with the desire to help his young wife, Stephanie, and to get a little free healthcare.

“My wife, a nurse, was recruiting for a blood drive at her hospital in South Florida where we lived, so I donated,” recalls Keele.  The fact that the hospital was offering a free cholesterol test with a donation was an added bonus. Even today, Keele credits the ‘mini-physical’ of a blood test and vitals check he gets when he donates with keeping him healthy at 66 years.

For a dozen years, Keele gave blood regularly, often through drives at his employers, Sears and later Journeys, a division of Genesco. He was a manager at both companies. It wasn’t until his father was diagnosed with leukemia in 1998 that Keele stepped up his game. “My father was receiving blood every other day during the six months he fought the disease.  I just felt I had to do something more to give back to the community,” he says.

Since then, he’s continued his commitment, donating the maximum of 6 pints of whole blood a year, once every 56 days.  “There’s a blood bank near my home in Murfreesboro, so it’s been fairly easy to fit donations into my schedule, even before I retired,” he says.

These days, Keele has shifted his donation emphasis from whole blood to platelets, a process that does not diminish his overall blood cell count and allows him to donate more frequently. He hopes to continue donating to the Red Cross for as long as he’s physically able.

“You never know when you or a family member may need blood.  We all must do our part so that blood is available to everyone whose life depends on it,” he concludes. 

Whether you are a first-time donor or aiming for a multi-gallon milestone like Cedric, your generosity can be the difference between life and death for someone in need. Learn more about blood donation and sign up for an upcoming blood drive by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor app (available for Android and iOS devices).