Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) Darlene Olson joins 11 other honorees to be inducted into the National Blood Donor Hall of Fame. She was nominated for her exemplary commitment to donating blood and encouraging blood donation.
Darlene first started donating whole blood with RIBC in 1983 and has since become a platelet donor. To date, she has donated more than 600 times. That’s 76 gallons!
She joined the volunteer team in 2018 upon her retirement and she is a beloved member of the group. To date, she has served more than 1,700 hours.
“If I can ease a donor’s anxiety, offer comfort, coach them about iron rich foods, help them better prepare for their next donation and, through education, encourage them to become a lifelong donor, it’s time well spent” said Darlene.
Staff members always know donors will be in good hands if Darlene is on the schedule!
Darlene added, “I especially enjoy high school and college drives, offering a little mentoring while I care for the students.”
We are grateful for Darlene’s support in our lifesaving mission and congratulate her on this wonderful achievement!
To learn more about Darlene, check out her Hall of Fame spotlight here. https://www.fresenius-kabi.com/us/company/donation-hall-of-fame