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Houma native Al Poiencot hit a mark he’s climbed toward for almost five decades. Poiencot’s meticulous dedication was the key to the achievement, a long-term commitment light on the sweat and tears but heavy on the blood.
Poiencot donated his 250th pint of blood to the Terrebonne General Medical Center Blood Donation Center last Tuesday. Poiencot, 82, said he previously told a nurse he would stop keeping a personal count once he hit this latest round number, shifting his focus to another statistic.
“I told her after I get to 250 I’m not going to worry about the numbers anymore. I’d just like to be known as the oldest one giving blood,” Poiencot said.
Poiencot’s daughter, Celeste Landry, said he could hold onto that oldest title for as long as health allows. She said TGMC has told her father that there is no age limit on donations and he can donate as long as his red blood cell count is acceptable.
“As long as his counts are good with his blood, he can do it. Every time he goes, it’s good,” Landry said.
Poiencot said he began donating his O-positive blood to the hospital when he was about 30 years old. According to Poiencot, then-TGMC Blood Bank manager Joe Malbrough contacted him about a need for donations after an accident offshore. Poiencot obliged and started giving his blood whenever called upon. Eventually he made it a routine, marking his calendar every eight weeks to schedule his next donation.
“It was good, I knew I was helping people. It wasn’t bad. I didn’t have any problems giving it,” Poiencot said.
Well, Poiencot did have a minor issue one time. He said he was walking down a hallway after donating blood, and the band aid covering his arm fell off. He did not do the best job covering it, much to the chagrin of whoever had clean up duty that day.
“I had blood dripping all over, instead of closing my arm, I held it in my hand, and I held it lengthwise, open. I went back and I had blood dripping all the way in the hall,” Poiencot said.
Celeste said even as her father worked different jobs to provide for a family of seven, he was sure to maintain his donation schedule. That schedule stood up even in the face of tragedy. One week, Poiencot had a donation scheduled for Thursday. Unfortunately, his wife died that Wednesday. Poiencot showed up at TGMC that Thursday after talking with his children, who told him their mother would have wanted him to go. Poiencot’s benevolent habit has continued along his bloodline. He now has two sons who regularly donate, joining a nephew and a granddaughter who also give up their blood to those who need it.
All blood donated at TGMC goes toward patients at the hospital. TGMC receives about 20-25 pints of blood per day. Each pint of blood, the standard amount per donation, can save up to three lives. Individuals wishing to donate must be in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old. Donors can donate at the Blood Donor Center, open 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Friday. You can call the center at (985) 873-4025 to schedule an appointment. •
