Kentucky Man donates nearly 21 gallons of blood over his lifetime and hopes to give more

PIKESVILLE, KY (WTVQ) – Since 2007, Pikeville native, Gary Justice has given 171 donations, about 21 gallons of blood for those battling cancer or trauma.

Over the course of 13 years, justice has made 171 donations.

Every two weeks he donates in honor of his parents who were both lost to cancer.

“My mom who passed away in 1987 and my dad who passed away in 2014 was both in need of blood transfusions as they went through their cancer battles and this is an opportunity for me to get on the donor bed and honor my mom and dad,” says Justice.

There are three different levels of donations, singles, doubles and triples.

Justice donates platelets at a level three, which helps out a total of three people in need.

Blood centers nationwide say now there’s even more need because of the Coronavirus canceling a lot of blood drives it normally can count on each year.

Justice says you can donate platelets up to 24 times a year, which is his goal for 20-21.

Donating platelets is allowed a lot more than a regular blood donation because the process takes only part of the blood.

Whatever is left is pumped back into you.

For some people like Justice, say they come out of donating feeling good, rather than fatigue.

“Giving the platelets makes me feel a lot better. Once I get done with the donation not only mentally but physically it feels like my body resets,” says Justice.

Above all, It provides some people the chance of life.

“It gives that person receiving the platelets just an opportunity to keep fighting…and I’m proud to do it,” says Justice.

For information about donating you can visit the Kentucky Blood Center Website.