Record 400th blood donation
LINKSFIELD - Maurice Creswick beat his record in the Guinness World Book of Records when he donated a milestone 400th unit of blood at the Linksfield Donor Centre.
The 87-year-old Lyndhurst resident is the most prolific and oldest blood donor in the world. He has donated a total of 192 litres of blood, which is more than enough blood to fill the average bathtub. Creswick has been donating blood every 6 weeks for the past 61 years.
He started donating blood on his 18th birthday in 1944, after witnessing a horrific car accident when he was just 11 years old. “I was a cadet first-aider when I saw a tram smash into a car, I said to myself that I would never feel so helpless again.
“Whether it’s 400 or 1 donation, every unit counts.” said the retired lawyer, who earned his place in the record book in 2003 with his 336th donation. Creswick added he maintained a healthy and active lifestyle in order to keep donating at his age.
Vanessa Raju, communications manager at the South African National Blood Service said Creswick is a hero and role model “He should be revered for his dedication to providing much needed blood in this country. The amount of blood he has donated has potentially saved thousands of lives,” she said.
He has received numerous public service awards, including a Karl Landsteiner medal, the highest honour bestowed by the blood bank. He also received an award from the Greek bishop, which has been awarded to just three South Africans.
