NY man's next blood donation will be gallon No. 40

[September 08, 2009]  WOODBURY, N.Y. (AP) -- A New York man is donating his 320th pint of blood this week, making him one of two people in the U.S. who has given 40 gallons.

Seventy-five-year-old Al Fischer of Massapequa (mass-ah-PEE'-kwah) plans to reach the milestone Tuesday, 58 years after he started giving blood.

According to a New York Blood Center official, only 83-year-old Maurice Wood has donated more blood than Fischer. Wood is a retired railroad inspector from St. Louis.

Fischer, a print shop operator, donates blood about six times a year. He says he and Wood are engaged in a friendly rivalry and last spoke to each other a few months ago.

Long Island Blood Services executive director Harvey Schaffler says Fischer has helped almost 1,000 people.

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Information from: Newsday, http://www.newsday.com/

[Associated Press]

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