On May 28, at the Manhattan community blood drive, area resident Clifton Meloan is scheduled to make his 152nd American Red Cross blood donation. Since each donation is approximately one pint, Meloan’s 152 donations translate into 19 gallons of lifesaving blood. More importantly, Meloan’s donations may have helped save the lives of hundreds of patients.
“With every blood donation potentially saving up to three lives, Cliff’s dedication may have impacted the lives of 456 patients,” said Jan Hale, communications manager for the American Red Cross Southwest Blood Services Region. “On behalf of these patients and their families, the Red Cross thanks Cliff for his generous donations.”
In 1953, Meloan was in the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (ROTC) at Iowa State University when he made his first blood donation. While donating blood was voluntary, Meloan says their ROTC captain told the group that one hundred percent would give. He remembers lying down on a flat table and having his blood collected in a glass bottle. Meloan did not make his second donation until 1964 when a young neighbor needed blood during treatment for leukemia.
After that donation, Meloan decided to keep donating until he had given one gallon. One became two and so on until he has given nearly 19 gallons.
When he received his 10 gallon donor pin, Meloan recalls Red Cross personnel suggesting he keep donating until he had 12 pins to use as a clock face. Once he hit the 12 gallon mark, or 96 donations, he decided to continue to donate to reach 100 donations.
At nearly 19 gallons, Meloan says he’s now been encouraged to keep donating until he reaches 24 gallons in order to make a military time clock face. “I’ll keep on giving as long as I’m able,” he said.
Manhattan residents are invited to join Meloan by making an appointment for the Manhattan community blood drive on May 28:
Give Blood In Honor of Cliff Meloan
Thur., May 28 from noon – 6 p.m.
Fri., May 29 from 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
University Christian Church
2800 Claflin Road
To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org (sponsor code: ManhattanKS) or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
