The Hero in You: Winnipeg man makes 202nd blood donation

A Winnipeg man who has been donating blood for years recently reached a significant milestone.

Jeff Melnick made his 202nd donation of blood earlier this month.

“I can technically donate another 240 times in 10 years, so by the time I’m 60, I’ll be pushing the 500 mark,” he said.

Melnick started donating blood and plasma after the death of a childhood friend from brain cancer. He has also donated blood after a friend’s son was involved in a car crash and when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Recently, his granddaughter Maddie prompted him to continue donating. At two months old, a lump was discovered on her neck, and she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was one.

It came at the time he made his 100th blood donation, and he was angry.

“When it hits home like that, it’s devastating,” Melnick said, noting he almost quit donating blood when he heard the news.

However, he had a change of heart.

“I really didn’t know how to handle it at the time, but my nurses at blood services became my support system,” Melnick said.

So, while Maddie underwent scans, biopsies and eventually surgery, Melnick kept visiting Canadian Blood Services every 14 days to donate platelets, the smallest blood cells in our body that are often used to help cancer patients going through treatments.

“What if my granddaughter needed platelets? What if she has to go through chemo? Maybe I’m the one who has to donate for her. Maybe I’m the perfect match,” he said.

Thankfully, Maddie never needed blood products and the surgery to remove her tumour was successful. Jeff’s mother is also cancer-free today.

These outcomes solidified his drive to set his donation goals higher, and he hopes his actions will inspire his granddaughter.

“I hope she can make a difference in somebody’s life,” Melnick said. “I hope she grows up and wants to get involved in cancer care. Maybe she’ll be a doctor. Maybe she’ll be a nurse at blood services. I’m hoping she looks at me and wants to do that.”