Looking for blood donors
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If you witnessed a car accident in which someone was seriously hurt — would you jump in and try to help? What if you didn’t see it? Would you still try to help? If you think you can’t — you can. And it’s critically important right now, that you do.
Summer is the season when the need for blood spikes — and the supply drops.
Denise Saulnier is with Canadian Blood Services: “There is no substitute for human blood, so we need these people to come out and the great thing about it is that your blood is usually transfused into a patient withing about 5 days. So it amazing that you can help save somebody’s life that quickly.”
A single patient from one car accident can need as many as 50 units of blood. But anything from surgery, to cancer can drive the need for blood. And while it’s not unusual for Canada’s blood supply to “dip” in the summertime; this summer, it’s down a little more than usual. Donations, have hit a five year low. Canadian Blood Services isn’t quite sure why — but they have noticed a worrisome trend. Denise says: “A lot of the people who are booking are not showing up — there’s about a 20% no show rate in this area.”
It’s easy to make an appointment for a convenient time — you can do it on line.
Patricia Phillips has done it before. Nine times: “They send me a reminder every two months and I come every two months by appointment.”
And she became a ‘regular’ for a simple reason: “I have a blood type that anybody can use, so that’s why I donate.”
17-year old Deanna Stender is here for the first time. Her boyfriend talked her into it — but Deanna had her own reasons for saying yes: “I think that it’s important that we help each other and like, if somebody gets in an accident they can help it, and it’s a good thing they would have blood.”
All it takes is a few minutes, a few questions — and it’s really not much harder, than sitting in your easy chair at home.
At the moment, there are more than 75-hundred appointment spaces open across Canada — and Canadian Blood Services needs 200 donations right here, this weekend — especially in Ancaster, Dundas and Stoney Creek.
As mentioned, you can book a convenient time on line — or, if you have questions, call 1-888-2-donate — and a registered nurse will be available to talk to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
