Olwyn's story

My late father, Tui Coomber, born 1909, was one of the first male nurses in New Zealand. As a young man, he worked at Greenlane Hospital and he had O negative blood. In those days before blood was able to be stored, he was called upon in emergencies to donate blood as he had the universal type. It was transferred directly from him to the receiver. He would donate, get up off the bed and go directly back to work. One year he donated over 20 donations - something that would not be allowed now. When I was 5 he had a brain aneurysm and was unable to talk again so I was not able to hear his story directly from him. At the age of 21 I was teaching at Rangiora Borough School, North Canterbury, when the mobile blood bank came out to town. I thought it would be a great thing to do to start donating to honour his donation work in the past. I was amused to note that nearly all the female teachers donated, but not one male teacher did so. They were all afraid of needles! I have continued to try and donate as regularly as possible since that time but my father's record of donations will never be equaled I don't think!