Extreme weather conditions at the end of December and into the New Year have forced Canadian Blood Services to cancel 24 blood donor clinics. Cancelled clinics have resulted in a lost opportunity to collect over 1,200 donations.
“It’s been a stormy start to 2014. While we’ve weathered the storm by leveraging our national reserves to ensure patient needs are met, we now need Canadians to help replenish national supplies by booking an appointment and giving blood in January,” says Mark Donnison, Vice-President of Donor Relations.
Between January 13 and February 1, 2014, Canadian Blood Services forecasts 31,000 appointments need to be filled – including more than 3,600 appointments in Manitoba. The recent clinic cancellations coupled with constant hospital demand, have also created an immediate need for more O negative and A negative blood donations.
“A blizzard may stop us in our tracks, but the need for blood keeps on going – especially when it comes to blood types that are in high demand, like O negative blood,” says Mark Donnison. “When seconds count, someone’s life is on the line and there’s no time to check a patient’s blood type, O negative blood is used.”
Canadian Blood Services is urging communities from coast to coast to rally together now because it often takes many donors to help save someone’s life. Some examples of urgent situations where multiple blood donors are needed include:
- Up to five donors to help someone through heart surgery
- Between two and eight donors to help save someone with internal bleeding
- As many as 50 donors to help someone seriously hurt in a car crash
How will you make a difference in 2014? Resolve to save lives. By donating blood, you are helping ensure a strong blood supply for Canadian patients this winter. To book an appointment, please visit www.blood.ca or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283). Those with appointments are encouraged to keep that appointment and, if possible, bring a friend to donate with you.
