The Netherlands’ oldest blood donor, Andre Oostenrijk, has officially retired after reaching the maximum allowable age limit for blood donation. He completed his final donation, marking a historic milestone as the first person in Dutch history to donate right up to the age of 80, Purmerendsdagblad reports.

Over a span of more than 40 years, he had the needle put into his arm 216 times. His lifetime track record includes nearly 100 whole blood donations and more than 100 plasma donations. Oostenrijk did not stop out of personal preference. He noted he would have gladly continued for many more years, but was forced to wave goodbye due to strict regulatory age restrictions.

Under current guidelines enforced by the Dutch national blood bank association, Sanquin, donors can give blood up until the exact day before their 80th birthday. This milestone was only possible because Sanquin revised its age policy. Prior to the adjustment, the mandatory retirement cutoff age for Dutch blood donors was set strictly at 69 years old.

To protect the health of older participants, Sanquin requires all active donors aged 65 and up to undergo an intensive annual medical screening by a specialized donor physician to verify they remain fully fit.

According to Sanquin spokesperson Merlijn van Hasselt, Oostenrijk’s lifetime commitment has had a massive, life-saving impact. Statistically, one in four people in the Netherlands will require a blood product at least once in their lives. His donations have directly aided acute traffic accident victims, cancer patients undergoing rigorous therapy, and mothers recovering from highly complicated deliveries. Furthermore, his plasma contributions helped manufacture specialized pharmaceuticals required by roughly 25,000 chronic patients nationwide.