It could never be enough time, but it was something.
As Laurie Johnson affectionately considers one grandson, she can’t help but fondly remember and lament the other one – her grandson’s fraternal twin brother – who’s no longer here. Logan was only eight months old when he passed away following complications stemming from a premature birth approximately six years ago, according to Johnson.
The pain wrought from Logan’s passing is still there, and will always be there, says Johnson, but in the ensuing years she strove to honour her grandson’s memory by ensuring that other families experiencing similar health hardships get to spend every precious moment together while they still can.
“I made a point to myself that I was going to donate blood as much as I could, just in memory of my grandson,” Johnson tells the North Shore News.
Describing herself before Logan’s passing as one of those people that would proclaim, “‘I’ll donate blood another day,’” she’s since changed her tune entirely; donating blood has become “very important” to her.
As short as their time together was, it was the generosity of blood donors six years ago that allowed Logan and his family to spend those eight precious months together, she says. “We got to enjoy every day as a gift,” says Johnson. “That was my drive for making this happen.”
In recognition of National Blood Donor Week, which runs from June 10 to 16, Johnson, who works at Capilano University, has helped spearhead a blood donation event taking place at the university next Wednesday. The purpose of the event, which is under the purview of Canadian Blood Services and is open to the public, is to honour the memory of her grandson, encourage more people to donate blood, and to thank local residents who support people by donating.
“It’s something that’s so simple and I think if people are more educated about donating blood that they would really step up to the plate,” says Johnson.
Marcelo Dominguez, a spokesman with Canadian Blood Services, says that it was through Johnson’s tireless efforts and initiative to make it happen that the blood donation clinic is being set up at CapU next week.
Dominguez adds that the purpose of National Blood Donor Week is to thank donors and celebrate people’s generosity.
“Blood donors support the health of our communities,” says Dominguez.
First-time donors are encouraged to visit the Canadian Blood Services website at blood.ca and take the eligibility quiz to make sure they can donate, according to Dominguez.
The blood donation clinic is scheduled to run on Wednesday, June 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. at CapU’s Centre for Sports and Wellness gymnasium. Donors are welcome to drop-in or sign up for a time slot by visiting blood.ca or calling 1-888-236-6283.
Johnson is happy to report that Logan’s twin brother, who is now seven years old, is “healthy and happy” and doing well.
She hopes that getting the word out about the importance of donating blood will help keep other families together for as long as possible.
“It will always leave a hole in our hearts of course, for Logan,” she says. “My intent is to see that people can move past a sadness and still want to do good for other people.”
