Mark Ditmer, of Sidney, is all smiles after reaching a double donation milestone by making his first double red cells donation and eclipsing his goal of 100 lifetime donations.
Courtesy photo
DAYTON – Sidney donor Mark Ditmer marked a double milestone in his “Donor for Life” history on Feb. 19 by making his first double red cells donation and eclipsing his goal of 100 lifetime donations.
A double red cell donation is the equivalent of two single donations and counts as two lifetime donations. As a result, Ditmer leapfrogged his 100th donation to his 101st.
“It’s my first time, the rest have been whole blood,” said Ditmer. Over the years his routine has been to donate at mobile blood drives across Shelby and Miami Counties, for several years at Airstream, and recent years at the Knights of St. John in Piqua.
“I started out back in the ‘80’s on a team,” he said. “We were just having a challenge in Shelby County, and we got a group together at our church to donate.”
The original team was at First United Methodist Church. They didn’t win the challenge, but it set him on course as a “Donor for Life.”
He worked it into his schedule to make his first double red cells donation at the Solvita Dayton Center. “I’ve been pressed for time,” said Ditmer, “but I thought I’d go ahead and do it.”
Schedule an appointment to donate with Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) on the Donor Time app, by calling 937-461-3220, or at www.donortime.com.
