Missouri State Representative John Voss gives blood for first time in more than 30 years

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Missouri State Representative John Voss hasn’t been able to donate blood in more than 30 years, but now he can, and his first donation just happened to come in his hometown of Cape Girardeau. 

“I was just happy that I was able to give again,” Voss said.

After living in England at the height of the mad cow disease scare, Voss was ineligible to give blood, but things have changed in recent months. 

“When I was meeting with a local representative of the American Red Cross here in the last couple of months, I was sharing my story, and they told me that those rules had been changed and encouraged me to donate again, so here I am today,” he said.

Voss comes from a family of givers.  

“My mother has been able to donate over 8 gallons of blood in her lifetime, and one of my brothers is over two gallons, so I’m just excited to get back in the family tradition of donating again,” he said.

And not that it’s a competition, but… 

“We’re a very competitive family, and so I’m anxious to give enough to where I can at least overcome my brother and catch my mother,” Voss said.

Sunday kicked off the annual Spring Greek Week Blood Drive at Southeast Missouri State, and Shelby Bentley with the Red Cross said having donors like Voss and university president Dr. Carlos Vargas could lead to more donations. 

“Hopefully his donation and President Vargas’s donation can encourage other students, faculty, and community members to donate,” she said.

The blood drive will continue through Wednesday from 11 am to 6 pm each day.