According to Katy Stowe, Red Cross communications specialist for the northern half of Alabama, Cherokee County is one of the strongest counties in Alabama in terms of blood donorship.
James Burkhart is a major reason why.
Burkhart, a member of First Baptist Church, Centre, in Cherokee Baptist Association, donated his first pint of blood at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal on a hot summer day in 1966. He was 22 and heading into his senior year at the University of Alabama, and that pint of blood was worth four hours of sick leave from his summer job with the Army.
“I went swimming that afternoon and had a big time,” Burkhart said. “That’s the only reason I donated that first time.”
Since then, his motives have matured. “I like being able to help people anonymously,” he said, noting that multiple people can benefit from each pint of donated blood, which can be broken down into its component parts to be used separately or in combination. “Not bad for something that only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.”
A retired math teacher, Burkhart, 63, not only donates to but also volunteers with the Red Cross and lends muscle to the Cherokee County Carpenters for Christ. But he is known mostly for his “O” positive corpuscles.
Since that first pint, the mathematics of Burkhart’s generosity has reached legendary status.
He hit his first gallon — that’s eight pints — at age 24.
By 30, Burkhart was working on three gallons and at 45, he hit 10. The Red Cross limits donors to six pints per year at one pint per blood drive.
“It took me 10 years to give three gallons of blood. Today I average giving every 56 days and give a gallon about every 15 months, if I can find a blood drive nearby,” Burkhart said.
If a drive that Stowe is promoting is near enough for him to reach, then she knows her job will be at least a pint easier.
“James gives [blood] religiously,” Stowe said.
To date, Burkhart has donated 22 gallons and will soon reach the 23 mark. He is, however, an exception to the statistics.
“Only 4 percent give in Alabama, which is one reason why we have blood shortages so often,” Stowe said.
According to the Red Cross’ Southeast Division Web site, 5 percent of Americans donate blood, which puts Alabama behind the national curve — a curve that Burkhart, both in deed and message, is trying to get in front of.
He noted that the requirements for giving blood are that a person be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds.
“People are still unwilling to give for various reasons. Either they don’t have the time or they are afraid. I think there is a fear of AIDS and a fear of being stuck,” said Burkhart, who is completely unsqueamish. “Once people get past that, donation is very safe.
“I have never suffered any ill effects from donating blood, and normally the body replenishes itself quickly, normally in 24–36 hours.”
Stowe speaks with firsthand urgency about the constant need for a plentiful blood supply. She received a lifesaving transfusion of blood “donated by 12 strangers” in the aftermath of a serious accident as a teenager.
“We need more men like James Burkhart,” Stowe said.
For more information about donating blood, visit the Red Cross’ www.givelife.org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543). (Christy Roach contributed)
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