Laurier football coach preps for 60th blood donation to honour his mom

It started as an excuse to get out of school.

Zach Scotto was a student at Saugeen District Senior School in Port Elgin when he saw the poster for a blood donation clinic. He thought it sounded like a fun way to get out of class, hang out with friends and get a snack.

But while he was there, seeing the vials and the items needed for blood taking, Scotto says he remembered his mother, Loraine, who died of cancer when he was eight. She had battled cancer, gone through chemotherapy, and was in remission when she became sick again.

"Memories started kind of flooding back, seeing like on the counter in the hospital, like all the vials of blood and having my blood drawn," he said.

He says he remembers his mom needing blood during her treatment and he realized giving blood was a way to give back and honour his mom.

"It didn't start really as like, I'm going to do this for my mom, but it really became such an easy way to honour her and potentially help others," Scotto said.

'60 is pretty cool'

Now, the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks football coach is preparing for his 60th donation on Aug. 6.

"The 50th was a big deal, 60 is is pretty cool," Scotto said, although he admitted there are other donors who "overshadow" him with closer to, or over, 100 donations.

When he shows up for his next donation, the staff and volunteers at the Waterloo clinic where he goes will be happy to see his smiling face.

Ravneet Panglia, the community development manager for the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Canadian Blood Services, called his donation "an incredible milestone."

"We are grateful for his dedication. Each of his donations is a lifesaving act of generosity for many patients, and he inspires others to experience what they get when they give, too," Pangila said.

"We need more people like Zach who walk away with that rewarding post-donation feeling that comes with helping others."

Scotto says he knows people hear the ads asking them to donate but may not realize just how important it is.

But I'm not sure people are really aware unless you've seen it, whether it's in emergency situations and in labour situations and pregnancy situations, or in cancer situations. There are situations daily in hospitals and emergency situations that need blood. And it's not like you can just go on Amazon and order that," he said.

He said the reward is also more than the juice and cookies you can get after the donation.

"Where can you spend an hour and walk out with a snack and a smile on your face and knowing that you could have helped somebody, potentially save somebody's life?"