Sandy Dunkley didn鈥檛 realize she鈥檇 made her tenth blood donation until she was presented with a pin after giving blood at the 91原创 City Fire Hall on Sunday along with a bright red sticker bandage that read 鈥淚 gave life.鈥�
鈥溾�滻 said, really? and she said, you鈥檝e given 10 times,鈥� Dunkley said.
It was the seventh annual Ron Dunkley Memorial Blood Drive in memory of her son, , a 91原创 City firefighter who died 60 days after he was hit by a train in Seattle in 2010.
Formerly phobic about giving blood, Sandy became a regular donor after seeing how much blood was used to treat her son.
鈥淓very 56 days, when you鈥檙e allowed to go back (to donate), I would go back,鈥� she said.
鈥淎 few times I wasn鈥檛 allowed to donate because my iron was down.鈥�
She now loads up on iron-rich food like liver or grapes when she is preparing to attend a clinic.
More than 100 people took part in this year鈥檚 clinic in 91原创 City.
鈥淲e had a lot of people,鈥� she said.
鈥淓very chair was filled.鈥�
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Dunkley said 91原创 City firefighter Rob Rabby deserves credit for launching the blood donor clinic while Ron was still in hospital, as a way of paying back for all the people who donated blood.
鈥淚 had nothing to do with this,鈥� Sandy said. 鈥淩ob started it. To me, this is the most important thing to come out of Ronnie鈥檚 passing away.鈥�
She said people should understand that when they donate, their blood is divided into three parts, meaning one person could potentially help as many three.
鈥淲e鈥檙e saving thousands of lives,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his clinic will always be here as Ronnie鈥檚 legacy. It鈥檚 a legacy that will live on forever.鈥�
VIDEO: Sandy Dunkley at 2016 blood donor clinic
The , a registered charitable foundation, was formed after his death to raise funds for a number of causes 鈥� the B.C. Professional Firefighters Burn Fund, Muscular Dystrophy Foundation, Canadian Blood Services and University of Washington Medicine among them.
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dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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