GIVING BLOOD SAVES LIVES; RED CROSS GIVES LIFELONG DONORS SATISFACTION

Dr. C.F. Ernst, 73, has been giving blood since he was 17 years-old. He had given 29 gallons and three pints of blood to the American Red Cross blood drives.

Arthur Free of Chaffee reached his ten gallon mark after giving blood last Wednesday at the American Red Cross Blood Mobile.

When Charlie Ernst was 17, his father said he was going to give blood and wanted to know if his son wanted to ride along.

That was 56 years ago. And since that day, Ernst has given more than 28 gallons of blood.

"I'm working on my 29th gallon," he said.

Ernst worked as an optometrist for many years in Cape Girardeau. He has retired three times. "I just can't stop," he said.

He also can't stop giving blood, giving several times a year.

"I've lived all over the state," Ernst said, and he has given in the St. Louis area, Kansas City area, Springfield area and now Cape Girardeau."

"I've never thought much about it -- giving blood," he said. "It's a great source of satisfaction though."

Benjamin Borchelt of Cape Girardeau also has felt the satisfaction of giving blood for about 55 years. Early in World War II, he first gave blood and only recently stopped because of some medication he takes.

"Now that I'm better than 80, I don't give," he said.

But when he was giving, he also gave several times a year. An official with the American Red Cross said Borchelt has given more than 26 gallons of blood.

"It never bothered me," Borchelt said. "So it was fine with me to give as often as I could."

Ernst said not only did he find satisfaction in giving blood, but he also liked the camaraderie of other donors. He said giving blood every few weeks, donors get to know each other.

"And the Red Cross is a good charity to get involved with," he said.

Sabrina Kalleberg with the American Red Cross in St. Louis said donors who have given blood for more than 50 years are a rarity. Not only is the regulated blood donation program less than 50 years old, the law of averages work against repeat donors.

"If you give often enough, there's a good chance you'll be deferred," she said.

Because of more stringent blood-screening processes, blood donors have a good chance of getting a letter from the Red Cross saying their blood couldn't be used because of irregularities in their donation. "A lot of factors can affect your blood temporarily," she said, "but people get deferred because we want to make sure blood is safe for others."

The stringent regulations might one day be loosened, Kelleberg said. "Most people who get deferred are committed to donating and are completely healthy. So it's a real shame that they get deferred," she said.

Kelleberg said anyone 17 or older can give blood in Missouri. But Illinois donors age 16 or older than 76 must have a note from the doctor permitting the donation. Anyone between 17 and 75 aren't required to have the note. "This isn't our rule," Kelleberg said. "It's state regulation."

If interested in giving blood, the American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau.