Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) honored longtime donor Skip Tinsman on Tuesday, March 4 as he made his 400th platelet donation in honor of his late wife at the Christiana Donor Center.
To mark the occasion, Steven Corse, BBD Executive Director of Blood Operations and Rachele Allison, Director of Process Improvement presented Tinsman with a commemorative BBD vest and T-shirt – well-earned swag for a donor whose dedication has saved countless lives.
“We appreciate you,” Corse said, in reflection of Tinsman’s commitment. “It’s a significant milestone,” Allison added.
For Tinsman, the milestone marks a significant step in his journey toward an even bigger milestone.
“It’s 40 percent of where I want to get to,” said Tinsman. “I want to get to one thousand. I’ve talked to the big man upstairs and said, ‘Get me to a thousand if you will, before you take me home.’ Hopefully, we’ll get there.”
When asked what inspired Tinsman to donate platelets so often, he paused, his voice thick with emotion.
“My wife had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and she needed platelets to build her back up during rounds of chemotherapy. I saw what it could do, and as soon as she was cured of that, I was in here for a regular blood donation,” said Tinsman. “They asked me to switch to platelets; I couldn’t say yes fast enough. All my donations prior to today were in her honor.”
Choking back tears, Tinsman shared that with his wife’s recent passing, his future donations will now be made in her memory.
Tinsman’s contributions to BBD extend beyond donations. For nearly five years, he has served as BBD’s Hospital Services Coordinator, helping ensure that lifesaving blood products reach patients in need.
Tinsman’s story is a powerful reminder of why platelet donation matters. His generosity has made a difference in the lives of countless patients, and with his next goal set at 1,000 donations, his impact is far from over.
BBD is honored to celebrate Skip’s dedication and encourages others to join the mission. Every platelet donation can help someone in need—just like it helped Tinsman’s wife.
Interested in donating? Visit delmarvablood.org to schedule an appointment today.
