Fathers Day - a Time to Celebrate Unsung Heros at Mont Clare

As Father’s Day approaches, 88 year old grandfather Alan Earnshaw’s children are the first to admit they think their dad is the best in the world – but it just so happens there are hundreds of West Australians who agree - because to them, he’s a life saver. 

That’s because Mercy Health Mont Clare resident Mr Earnshaw has a very rare kind of blood plasma which includes an antibody that stops babies dying from Rhesus disease, a form of severe anaemia.

Mr Earnshaw has given blood every few months since he was in his early twenties and has racked up hundreds of donations in more than four decades, enabling countless mothers to give birth to healthy babies.

“Donating blood to help babies gave me a wonderful feeling, and it was always a magnificent experience to often have the opportunity to nurse the baby I’d donated blood to,” Mr Earnshaw recalls.

“Normally I’d donate two pints of blood every 7-8 weeks at WA Blood Bank, but sometimes I’d be asked to donate two pints in a six week period and I’d always be happy to oblige.

“The most memorable time was when my wife and I were about to go out for a family dinner and I received a call from King Edwards Hospital asking if I could donate straight away and, of course, there was no way I was going to refuse and so we went straight to the hospital instead of the restaurant.

“When I look back now I do feel proud of being able to help all those babies over more than 40 years of my lifetime, it makes me very emotional actually.”

Mercy Health Mont Clare Service Manager Jenny Jones said Fathers Day presented a perfect opportunity to recognise the unsung heroes of the community – fathers like Mr Earnshaw.

“There are so many amazing gentleman like Alan at Mont Clare who have demonstrated selfless dedication, love and care during their lifetime, not just for their children, but to help others in the community and that’s why we really try to recognise their contribution, not just on a particular day but throughout the year,” she said.

“On Fathers Day itself, Alan will be spending time with his family, including his son and daughter as well as his grandchildren; they are understandably very proud of him and his contribution to the lives of other WA families over the decades.”

Mercy Health is a Catholic community not for profit provider of care, founded by the Sisters of Mercy and grounded in a 2000 year history of caring for those in need.  The organisation is a national service provider of health and aged care throughout Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland.