Woman from Standerton eyes blood donation record

Belinda Stadler (53) has dedicated her life to saving others by regularly donating blood and recently made it her goal to beat the blood donation record for women in the Standerton, Bethal, Kriel, Secunda and Delmas areas.

According to Dot Prinsloo of the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) in Secunda, only two women in the area have donated more than 200 units.

Stadler recently donated her 181st unit of blood and has saved nearly 550 lives in 34 years of donating. The current record in the area for women who donate blood is 237 units.

“I never set out to break any records, but decided to make it a goal after seeing how far I’ve come,” said Stadler.

Women face many challenges donating blood. Whether menstruation, menopause, pregnancy or health risks, women typically cannot donate as often as men. Stadler recently had a health scare that drastically changed how she cares for her body.

“The doctor said I was a pre-diabetic and diabetics cannot donate blood,” said Stadler.

This diagnosis motivated her to change her habits and live a healthier life so she could continue donating. In one year, Stadler changed her diet, started walking regularly for exercise and, most importantly, made an effort to drink more water.

“I lost 26kg in one year,” said Stadler.

According to her, the secret to a healthy diet is not really what you eat, but how you eat it.

A typical meal in Stadler’s home includes vegetables, meat and, of course, something sweet. She starts every meal by eating the vegetables first, followed by the meats and a sweet treat to top it all off.

“The vegetables create a protective layer in your stomach,” explained Stadler.

Stadler maintains strong enough iron levels to donate by eating mainly green vegetables. She prefers green beans and loves a good broccoli soup. According to Stadler, one reason the SANBS frequently turns down women at blood drives is low iron levels.

“Eating green vegetables also allows your blood levels to normalise faster after donating,” said Stadler.

Another way she stays healthy enough to donate is by walking at least 2km a day. According to her, a woman going through menopause will experience a decrease in bone density.

“Walking restores your bone density and your positivity,” said Stadler.

She also admitted to not being a regular water drinker, but recently learnt the importance of staying hydrated. Her dedication to donating blood runs so deep that she schedules her days around her blood drive visits.

“I schedule my donating dates a year in advance,” said Stadler.

Stadler will donate her 182nd pint of blood on August 28 and looks forward to celebrating her most recent milestone with the SANBS at Graceland on August 23.

The SANBS rewards regular donors with milestone dinners. Several like-minded donors can get together with their families and receive praise for the lives they have saved.

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