Shasta County cancer survivor shares how blood donations saved his life

REDDING, Calif. – A Shasta County man says blood donations saved his life as he battled cancer.

Dave Hutchison survived testicular cancer thanks to 71 rounds of chemotherapy, seven surgeries, a bone marrow transplant and around 100 blood transfusions.

“I was just a busy diesel mechanic working away and when cancer changed my life, everything changed,” Hutchison said.

At one point he had an adverse reaction and needed a ‘matched’ blood product.

So, Vitalant Blood Donation found him a specific donor for the final transfusion.

It was a challenging battle, but Hutchison said he’s stronger for it.

“It’s improved my attitude, I receive things easier, I enjoy things that come my way the best I can. Even the more difficult things I try to enjoy,” Hutchison said.

Hutchison now volunteers at Mercy Medical Center, chairing the blood drive.

“It’s one of my homes away from homes and my favorite place in town. Its hard to repay someone what they’ve given you if they’ve given you back your life. And the staff and people there deserve all the help I can offer them; they offered me all they help they could. Its a small amount of my time and very enjoyable and very rewarding. If you can afford to be thanked profusely without end, then you can be a volunteer at Mercy,” Hutchison said.

Vitalant’s Summer Classic blood drive is coming up, Friday August 4th and Saturday August 5th in Redding, Chico and Yuba City.

Hutchison says he hopes people consider donating.

“It takes an hour, and in that time you offer somebody a future, not just someone that’s been in a car crash, its probably going to go to someone in desperate need. If it was your family you wouldn’t hesitate at all… so to serve your community one time a year, would be a wonderful thing I think,” Hutchison said.