Giving and giving

By showing up once a week, eating a Persian and chatting with friends, Charlie Hogean has saved more than 2,000 lives.

Hogean was at Canadian Blood Services Friday morning to donate plasma for his 708th time. He first started when the clinic opened in Thunder Bay more than 15 years ago. A charitable man, Hogean said he can’t financially afford to support all of the worthy causes out there asking for help.

With plasma, Hogean said the yellow collour of it makes him feel like the richest man around.

"I’ve got a body full of liquid gold and I can donate as often as I want so why not try it out and I’ve been doing it ever since," said Hogean. "I wanted to be able to do something to help people. I don’t think there’s anything easier that you can do and it saves lives and maybe somebody you know."

Hogean added that the hardest part about donating is getting other people to try it out.

"The only thing I could say is try. At least give it a shot, one shot that’s all it takes. For every one donation they get here you’re going to save two or three lives," he said.

"If it is too uncomfortable or there’s something about it that bothers you at least you know you’ve gone in and you’ve made the effort."

The process takes less than an hour from walking in the door to saying goodbye.

"Then you’re up and gone away you go.”

Hogean even started a 62-person donation team called Charlie’s Angels to continue giving. He said he has no plans of stopping.

"Basically I’ve told them (Canadian Blood Services) every Friday for the rest of my life," he said.
More than 2,500 donations are needed in Thunder Bay this summer. The local clinic supplies 25 per cent of the country’s plasma. To book an appointment, call 1-888-2-DONATE.