Roger Bipes Continues Donating Blood Regularly at Hoxworth West
The fact that you never know when you’re going to need it and it’s a good thing to do.
Roger Bipes Hoxworth Blood Center Donor
Roger Bipes began donating blood in the 1960s and has been a dedicated donor ever since. Over the years, he’s been deeply inspired by the encouragement of friends and family to continue giving the priceless gift of life.
Roger Bipes: 60 Years Of Saving Lives
Roger Bipes has been donating blood for nearly 60 years, and he does this for a very specific reason. In 1968, Roger was working at Matheson Coleman & Bell in Norwood when his coworker’s wife needed surgery and routine blood transfusions. His employer started a blood donor club and Roger was quick to join. He still has an article noting his appointment as chairman of the donor club in 1969.
And as Roger continued to donate blood through the years, many more reasons kept him coming back to save his family, friends and neighbors.
Why do you donate blood?
“The fact that you never know when you’re going to need it and it’s a good thing to do,” says Roger, who now lives in Greendale, Indiana. At the age of 88, he is still a regular donor, usually at the Hoxworth Blood Center West Neighborhood Donor Center in Western Hills.
He says the Hoxworth thank-you letter with information on his donation’s destination is a big motivator for giving blood.
“There’s a lot of people out there needing it,” says Roger. “The information that I get back from where my blood has gone is a big incentive, too. A couple of times they were anxious to get the blood because they had someone that was in need right at the time.”
Roger has many connections to blood donations, including his late wife who received blood transfusions. His daughter-in-law, Kristie Bipes, is a bone marrow transplant recipient. Luckily for many patients in our region, dedicated donors like Roger improve and save lives every day.
By the Numbers
Since donating with Hoxworth beginning in 1998, Roger has donated:
- 130 times
- 16.25 total gallons of blood
- 390 improved or saved lives
The Milk Man
Roger has a special souvenir to show his pride for blood donation. His father used to deliver milk jugs to customers when Roger was growing up. He would even help his dad once he was older. To honor his father, Roger has a 10-gallon milk jug that he received many years ago (the 1970s he thinks) to show just how much blood he had donated at that time. It also has special stickers that Hoxworth has given him to show appreciation. It’s a trip down memory lane for Roger!
Roger’s Daughter-In-Law, Kristie Bipes
During 2019, Kristie Bipes was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare bone marrow cancer. To treat her condition, Kristie received weekly blood transfusions prior to her bone marrow transplant in 2021. And, like many cancer patients, she received blood and platelet donations for a time after her transplant.
Because of her history of myelofibrosis, Kristie is medically ineligible to donate blood, but appreciates that people like her father-in-law, Roger, take the time to save lives close to home.
“I just appreciate it so much because I was never able to give blood because I actually had a blood disorder before it went into cancer,” Kristie explains. “So I just appreciate it so much. There are so many people like me that need blood that wouldn’t be here without it.”
From Patient to Advocate
Kristie can’t donate blood or blood products, but she does what she can to help, which is to spread the word to other people about the importance of donating blood or blood products to ensure there is an ample supply for those who need it.
Every five minutes in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky in Southeast Indiana, someone needs blood or blood products for surgery, trauma, cancer or other medical treatment. Even though the need is great, only 3 percent of eligible donors actually donate. Many because they are not aware of all the uses for blood and blood products, and that Hoxworth Blood Center supplies more than 30 local hospitals.
Making A #HoxworthHabit
Roger continues to donate blood every eight weeks at Hoxworth, and says as long as he is able to give the gift of life, he will.
If you’ve never donated blood before, the staff at Hoxworth Blood Center is eager to help you start your own #HoxworthHabit. Check out our page for new blood donors to answer many of your questions. If you’d like to host a blood drive in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky or Southeastern Indiana like Matheson Coleman & Bell did, please learn how easy we can make it for your company or organization by clicking this link. Or, please call Hoxworth Blood Center at 513-451-0910.