South Philly Review

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One does not have to be a doctor, EMT or firefighter to help save a life, but can do so by simply donating blood.

Brothers Eugene and John Wanenchak have both individually donated more than 100 pints of blood to the American Red Cross over the course of their lifetimes. Originally from 28th Street and Snyder Avenue, the siblings have been giving blood since they started working for the Sunoco Refinery, 3144 W. Passyunk Ave., more than 40 years ago.

Eugene Wanenchak launched his career at the refinery as a clerk in the payroll department before joining the maintenance department as a machinist. He soon began giving back at his employer’s quarterly blood drive that typically collects about 100 pints during each two-day drive.

“The first time I gave blood was because I was embarrassed into it by my peers,” Eugene Wanenchak, who now resides in East Earl — 60 miles from the refinery, said. “After I saw it was no big deal, I just kept giving after all of these years. I gave blood every time the Red Cross came round.”

At the refinery Dec. 7, Mike Bukowski, the Philadelphia refinery’s Eugeneral manager, thanked Eugene Wanenchak for his loyalty and commitment to the blood drives by presenting him with a rosewood plaque while Sunoco Blood Chairman John Farrington honored him with a proclamation from the American Red Cross for his significant achievement of donating 102 pints of blood.

“I didn’t expect to receive a plaque and thought it was really nice for the refinery to go the extra distance of contacting me and the Red Cross. It was a nice little surprise,” he said.

Nearly five million people a year receive life-saving blood transfusions in the United States. During a transfusion, a patient receives either whole blood or parts of it such as the red blood cells, platelets or plasma.

Those who have never before donated have nothing to worry about, Farrington said.

“My advice for first time donors is that the anticipation is much worse than the actual event,” he said. “Giving blood is a short, virtually painless procedure that not only helps others, but also benefits the donor physically.”

The American Red Cross supplies about 44 percent of this donated blood which is immediately given to hospitals and local suppliers. A blood transfusion is needed in the United States about every two seconds to help people survive car accidents, surgeries, disease, premature births and other medical traumas, according to the Red Cross.

“The Red Cross estimates that each pint of blood directly affects at least three patients,” Farrington said.

The Wanenchek brothers have saved numerous lives through their donations of blood to the American Red Cross. Their individual contributions have touched at least 300 people each.

John Wanenchak, who is now retired, worked in the refinery’s operations department and donated more than 100 pints of blood to the American Red Cross as well. John Wanenchak never received a plaque or proclamation giving Eugene Wanenchak bragging rights in the family.

In Farrington’s more than 25 years as blood chairman, only six employees have reached the milestone with the highest donation level reaching 108 pints, Farrington said. He has known both of the Wanenchak brothers for more than four decades and thinks they donated blood out of a deep sense of compassion and commitment.

“I can remember many times when John [Wanenchak], who was a shift worker, would hang around on his own time and wait for the blood drive to open to give blood,” he said. “There were also times when these brothers would come to work on their days off in order to honor their commitment. They are both, in my opinion, two of the finest men I have ever dealt with.”

Their contributions have made them local heroes and great examples of ordinary people doing extraordinary things by simply taking the time to donate.

“Do you know someone suffering from cancer? Do you know someone who has been in an accident or the victim of a crime? Do you have a friend or relative awaiting surgery? These are just a few of the incidences which occur daily which require whole blood,” Farrington said, “Without faithful donors such as John and Eugene Wanenchak we could not even come close to meeting the daily demand in our area.”

But to Eugene Wanenchak, it’s a simple task.

“It was an easy thing to do and a way of giving back,” he said. “It doesn’t cost anything for you to do it, just your time. You just roll up your sleeve. Plus you get free pretzels and water ice.” SPR