Vinton Smith is working toward his goal of donating platelets in all 50 states. He recently added Louisiana to his list with a donation at the Blood Center in Mandeville.
Platelets are cell fragments in the blood that form clots and help stop or prevent bleeding. Louisiana is the 30th state where Smith has donated platelets.
Smith said his journey began as an effort to donate blood regularly, but his job, which required extensive traveling, led him to donate in multiple states.
He hopes people across the country will consider donating blood or platelets as a way to give back.
“But the act of donating blood, they are all very simple as well,” Smith said.
Smith has already donated whole blood in every state.
READ MORE:Louisiana becomes the latest stop in one man’s blood donation journey
