By Ciaran Brennan
Nine people from Westmeath were honoured for their blood donor milestones at an awards ceremony hosted by the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) in Kells on Sunday, 26 May.
Michael McCormack, Larry Giles, Ken Orme, Annette Gavin, Geraldine Langtry, Louse McGonagle and Barry McWey from Westmeath joined the 50-time donor club. Thomas Byrne and Kevin Nolan were both honoured for reaching a century of donations.
90 donors who gave blood 50 times and 20 who donated 100 times were honoured at the annual Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican Awards. Donors from Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Offaly, Longford, Kildare, Leitrim, Roscommon and North County Dublin were also recognised. IBTS chairperson Deirdre Ann Barr commended donors for their generosity and presented each of the honourees with their awards.
“It is lovely to personally meet the Donors who without their help could not benefit the many people in our hospitals every day in Ireland.”
Drogheda woman Emma Gilbey who previously received blood also spoke at the event. She was given blood during a four-hour emergency surgery after the birth of her son Charlie 12 years ago. Charlie also took to the podium to thank the donors for saving his mother’s life which received a standing ovation.
