Giving second nature for blood donors

Community Blood Center’s spring blood drive returns to Iola on Wednesday from noon to 6 p.m. at Bass Hall, formerly the North Community Building.
According to April Van Becelaere, a CBC representative, the Kansas City-based not-for-profit requires a daily average of 580 dedicated donors — spread out across their various blood donation sites — to meet the needs of the 70 hospitals in their service area, which includes Allen County Regional Hospital.
Of course, there are dedicated blood donors — and then there is Jeanne Cloud.
Cloud has been voluntarily relinquishing pints of her own sap for 35 years. “I’m right at 14 gallons,” she said, recalling the more than 100 pints she’s provided across the years. “I think it is one of the more worthy things you can do. Talk about giving a little piece of yourself to the community — that’s it.”
CBC attempts to host a blood drive in Iola every eight to 12 weeks.
Recalling the turnout for a cancer benefit in December and the overwhelming response elicited by the Joplin tornado four years ago,  Van Becelaere is impressed by the volunteerism in Iola and the dedicated stream of donors who wait in line every two or three months to get punctured for a good cause.
Jeanne Cloud owns and operates a pet grooming business, Creative Clips, and an adjacent kennel, in Bassett. Monday afternoon she was bathing a grinning, caramel-colored Pomeranian, named Jax, in a small countertop tub.
“I’ve always been community-minded,” said Cloud, who is also one of the founders of ACARF, the county’s animal rescue facility. “It’s just a matter of doing things for other people.”
Cloud’s blood type makes her a “universal donor,” and she is CMV-negative, which means her blood is especially valuable to patients with weak immune systems. (Cytomegalovirus is a typically latent, asymptomatic virus carried by most healthy adults, but which can be harmful, even fatal, to the immunocompromised.) “What this means is that I can donate my blood to babies or cancer patients.”
Anyone who is healthy, at least 16 years old and weighs at least 115 pounds, may donate blood every eight weeks.
“My dream,” Cloud said, “is to go there and they tell me ‘No, you can’t give anymore because you don’t weigh enough.’”
As for Wednesday’s drive, Cloud will be there. She has bell choir practice at her church immediately following — and she’ll be there, too.
Nothing about the process of donating surprises Cloud at this point. On a typical blood drive, said Cloud, “I try to get there by five. I can’t leave here until all the dogs are groomed and the kennel is spotless. … I just go in, lay down on the bed and stick my arm out. I try to get in, get done and get to handbells.”
And will she continue to donate in the years to come?
“Absolutely, I will,” said Cloud. “Until they tell me I’m too old or too skinny.”
For additional details, or to make an appointment, contact Kay Tindel at 620-380-6233.