NEWS RELEASE
CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES
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Canadian Blood Services is looking for more donors to donate blood over the hot summer months. The need for blood is rising fast this summer as hospitals resume procedures that were put on hold due to COVID-19. Our donors have shown incredible flexibility and commitment throughout the pandemic and we need that to continue as we adjust and respond to this next phase.
More than half of all Canadians will either need blood themselves or will know someone that does. New and returning donors are urged to book an appointment to give life to ensure patients receive the blood they need.
There are close to 300 appointments to fill in these two communities in July and August. Two donation events are planned for Wasaga Beach. The first is being held Wednesday, July 29 from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Wasaga Beach RecPlex, followed by another event planned for Saturday, Aug. 8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., also at the RecPlex located at 1724 Mosley Street. The following week marks the return of donation events in Collingwood. On Wednesday, Aug. 12 a donation event will be held at Living Water Resorts – Bear Estate located at 300 Balsam Street from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Holidays, family activities and changes in routines make it harder for people to find time to donate during this time of year. But the demand for blood never stops. The summer season often translates into a higher number of accidents on the road with a greater potential of injuries requiring blood transfusions. It can take up to 50 donors to help save someone who has been in a motor vehicle accident.
While all blood types help patients, O-negative blood is in demand by hospitals because it is the only type compatible with all other blood types. As the universal donor, O-negative blood is always in need. O-negative blood is the only type compatible with all other blood types.
To book a donation, visit blood.ca, or call 1-888-2-DONATE
About Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Regulated by Health Canada as a biologics manufacturer and primarily funded by the provincial and territorial ministries of health, Canadian Blood Services operates with a national scope, infrastructure and governance that make it unique within Canadian healthcare. In the domain of blood, plasma and stem cells, we provide services for patients on behalf of all provincial and territorial governments except Quebec. The national transplant registry for interprovincial organ sharing and related programs reaches into all provinces and territories, as a biological lifeline for Canadians.
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