Tampere Retired Pastor Donates Blood 241 Times

Tampere's retired Harju parish priest Jukka-Pekka Ruusukallio has donated blood 241 times over nearly five decades, helping more than 700 people, Aamulehti reports.

Aamulehti notes that Ruusukallio's blood type is O-negative, a universal donor for emergencies, and that his first donation occurred in November 1976 while he was in the army. He initially donated a couple of times a year, then moved to the minimum interval of 61 days between donations, keeping the dates in a calendar. The Koskikeskus basement, where the Tampere Blood Service operates, has been a familiar site for him over the years. Ruusukallio says donating is a pleasant hobby and that he remains healthy enough to continue, with an occasional dizziness on hot days during wedding rehearsals at the Cathedral noted but resolved.

The pastor emphasizes that he does not view donation as a heroic act but as a part of life, and he encourages others to donate as well. He points out that the blood service has a friendly reception and clear instructions, and he notes that donating can be done with a group or with a friend. Ruusukallio is 69 years old and eligible to donate for a couple more years, given the 18–70 age range for donors, but he has no long-term goal beyond giving one unit at a time.