• Giving life on Valentine's Day

    February 19, 2020 | COLLEGE NEWS

    JGno125
    Joanne making her 125th donation of blood on Friday, February 14th.

    How many of us can say we were out saving lives on Valentine's Day? Well, our own Joanne Gauzens, PTC-CLWR director's secretary, did just that when she donated her 125th gallon of blood.

    Joanne joined the exclusive club of less than two-dozen women to have reached this milestone since blood banking began during World War II!  She has helped to save or sustain hundreds of lives and families!

    Instead of enjoying breakfast in bed, Joanne and her husband Alan spent the morning at OneBlood in Palm Harbor with needles hanging out of their veins.

    "My mother always told me to donate blood," she said. "It was something that I had and others needed."

    She and her husband started donating blood at their church in Miami in the late 1970s. They've continued to donate, even being placed on Hunter Blood Center's emergency call list.

    AnJG

    Alan and Joanne Gauzens spent Valentine’s
    Day saving lives at OneBlood Palm Harbor
    Donor Center.

    Since her husband traveled often, his donations were not as regular, but Joanne has continued, only stopping when she was pregnant or recuperating from surgeries. Alan only has 103 more gallons to catch up to his wife!

    As she approached her 125th gallon, she told OneBlood the reason why she started donating platelets.

    "My older sister died of leukemia in 1966 at the age of 24 after being diagnosed only two weeks before," explained Joanne. "This process was not available when my sister was sick, so if I can give someone a few more months with their family by donating life-extending platelets, then I feel I am selfish not to do so."

     A nurse once told Joanne that she was her angel.  The nurse's husband was dying, and through platelet donations, they had an additional six months together. 

    "That is why I donate and will continue to donate as long as I am physically able," she averred.

    Joanne and Alan have raised a house full of givers, donating either whole blood or platelets. Their daughter Stephanie has given close to two gallons, daughter Nicole and son Mark are not far behind at one gallon, and their son William has surpassed his father with 25 gallons under his belt. 

    "I told them when they were growing up, they must find some way to volunteer in life. Donating blood is the easiest and cheapest way to volunteer, and it does so much good for the community."