Montgomery County man gives final pint of blood after more than 50 years of donations

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Fifty years ago, a Montgomery County man set a generous goal: Donate 25 gallons of blood. And in the decades since Marc Satalof far exceeded that mission.

Now 76 years old, Satalof has donated 35 gallons of blood in his lifetime, or about 280 pints.

“I get my satisfaction from the fact that this blood helps people who are less fortunate than myself,” Satalof said. “It’s one of the few acts of kindness that you can still do that truly saves someone’s life. And that’s why blood is called the gift of life.”

But after years of being a regular donor, Satalof donated his final pint of blood at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine on Wednesday, Nov. 15, alongside his wife Elyse. The pair has been together since junior high and worked together as teachers in the Philadelphia School District.

“I have very mixed emotions about it,” Satalof said of his final donation. “I had always said that if I ever reached a state of health where my own health could be compromised by donating blood, it would be time for me to stop.”

While Satalof said he’s generally still healthy, that time has come – though he hopes more people will consider giving back through blood donations. “People who need it… they’re dependent on people to donate that blood, because you can’t reach on the shelf for an artificial pint,” he said.

To celebrate each milestone, the Red Cross gave Satalof a certificate filled with dozens of pins to commemorate every gallon of blood.

To learn more about donating blood and find a blood drive near you, visit the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s website.