Photo: Nadeau donated the sign for others to use in the Red Deer Canadian Blood Services clinic. Left to right: Shamus Neeson, CBS community development manager, Kelcy Fidler, donor center associate and phlebotomist, and Clinic Supervisor Alison Kelly are part of the team that makes giving blood efficient and seamless with David Nadeau. Rural Alberta Report/Georgine Nadeau

What started almost six decades ago, spanning four provinces and eight clinics, came to a pleasing climax July 31 when I gave my 200^th whole blood donation in Red Deer.

Toronto, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Swan River, Calgary, Three Hills, Red Deer. All eager to take the gift of life. Me? Just as eager to ensure I was paying forward should I ever need a donation.

So far, so good.

Almost six decades? Some communities didn't hold clinics or were too far for family-raising budgets. I started under the auspices of the Red Cross, but irregularities in their system led to the forced late 90s handover of blood collecting to a new entity—Canadian Blood Services—the group to which I am accountable.

Back in the early days, my donor days would have ended at 65. Today, I can donate as long as my doctor permits. That said, I am already looking forward my late-September donation. Earlier in this article I described hitting 200 as a climax. Yes, it was exciting on that day, but now it's just a steppingstone to keep going and motivation enough to stay healthy and give until I can't.