Greendale man giving blood since 1999, encourages others to donate

GREENFIELD, Wis. - Giving back isn’t always about how much money you can donate. For one Greendale man, it’s all about rolling up his sleeve for a good cause.

Local perspective:

"It keeps me going."

For 44-year-old Peter Hann, donating blood is routine.

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He's always making sure to schedule a donation – so he walked through the doors at Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin.

And on Sunday morning, he was once again in the chair.

"Today is 243…"

All those donations mean gallons of blood to help patients across the region.

"It’s the cause people that need a blood transfusion. People with chemo, people with cancer, they depend on people who are nice enough to donate because blood can’t be manufactured," he said.

According to Versiti, donors like Hann are rare. Less than 5% of eligible people give blood – despite the demand never stopping.

Hann knew as a teen he wanted to be a part of the solution.

Dig deeper:

"Since February 1999, I started in high school. They had a blood drive at my high school," he said.

And if you’re hesitant because of needles, Hann says you aren’t alone. Just remember, the ‘why’ is greater than fear.

"The cause to help save lives," he added. "The needle may look intimidating, but once it's in, you're not even going to be looking at it."

Hann says he plans to continue to give blood regularly.

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Versiti provided the following statement:

"Yes, it is fairly rare. Versiti has donors who reach similar milestones, but it demonstrates how dedicated he is."

What you can do:

Head to the Versiti website to learn more and find a location where you can donate.