I started giving blood with I was in the Navy, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and then with Lockheed. After I moved to Arizona I started to give on a regular basis was invited to join a group of donors in the cytapheresis program, not to be confused with plasma donations, where they draw off the white blood cells and return the red blood cells to you in a lengthy centrifuge process. I've donated over 13 gallons of whole blood and over 70 cytapheresis, or more than 175 donations. Then, one year I received a 22 gallon pin because they (United Blood Services of Arizona) decided to combine both my whole blood and cytapheresis donations. So for that reason I still wear both a 13 and 22 gallon pins. It is an interesting conversation starter.
