Across Canada, patients like Andie Morrison are relying on donors for happy holidays and a lifetime of possibilities (OTTAWA) – Canadian Blood Services is calling on eligible blood donors to help fill 35,000 appointments by Jan. 6 to ensure that Canadian patients continue to have access to the blood and blood products they need over the holidays. Blood collection centres will be open on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, as well as during other regular collection hours. New and existing donors are welcome and walk-ins will be accepted. "The holiday period always presents challenges for us as we
Individuals or groups who identify as belonging to a hate group – with apparel, signage or verbally – will be turned away (OTTAWA) – Canadian Blood Services is reminding Canadians that it will not tolerate the use of its locations or of the altruistic act of the gift of blood to propagate hateful views or beliefs. Canadian Blood Services was made aware that an organization with hateful and racist views planned to use the group’s blood donations to publicly draw attention to its views. “We already have policies in place that state that we are committed to fostering an environment of respect and
(OTTAWA) – Throughout National Blood Donor Week from June 11 to 17, Canadian Blood Services urged Canadians to make an appointment to donate. More than 60,000 blood donors need to book appointments to donate by July 1 to ensure all patients have access to the blood and blood products they need. A noticeable increase in blood donations across the country last week indicates many Canadians have responded. However, the need for donors remains critical. All eligible donors are urged to book an appointment now to help replenish supplies. Less than two days’ supply of O-negative blood The national
Immediate need for donors to give now to replenish blood supplies (OTTAWA) – Winter weather marked by snowfall and icy conditions has taken Canada by storm, wiping out the opportunity to collect close to 2,000 blood donations in the past few days alone. Continued severe weather has so far forced Canadian Blood Services to cancel 18 clinics and dozens of others have also been impacted by low attendance. More cancellations are expected in the next few days due to the severe storms that continue to hammer the Atlantic region. Canadian Blood Services is asking donors and potential donors who can
Donors needed this holiday season to give blood and hope to patients (OTTAWA) – Canadian Blood Services recruitment teams hit the streets today in locations across the country to launch Canadian Blood Services’ holiday Give campaign. Volunteers and blood recipients joined staff in select cities to let potential donors know the best gift they can give this holiday season is blood. Surveys have shown the top reason people do not donate blood is because they have not been asked. Recruitment teams are a way to connect with and encourage people to consider becoming a blood donor. A total of 100,000
100,000 new donors needed across the country this year alone (OTTAWA) – Canadian Blood Services is changing its guidelines for iron levels to further promote health and wellness among blood donors. Female donors will need to wait longer between blood donations and male donors will need to pass a slightly stricter hemoglobin test. Starting Dec. 10, female donors will need to wait 12 weeks between blood donations, replacing the current eight week waiting period. The minimum allowable hemoglobin level for male donors will increase starting March 5, 2017 from 125 g/L to 130 g/L. “We continue to
(OTTAWA) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today its recommendation that all donated blood in the United States and its territories be tested for the Zika virus. Previously, the FDA had recommended that blood be tested for Zika in areas where there is active spread of the virus among mosquitoes. Now, all states are being asked to test their donated blood for the virus after considering evidence pertaining to its transmission in the U.S. Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec, Quebec’s blood operator, are carefully monitoring the Zika virus in the United States and are
Ambitious goal of 20,000 sign-ups underscores the need for new donors (OTTAWA) – Canadian Blood Services is calling on eligible Canadians to signal their intent to donate blood this year at missingtype.ca. Earlier this week Canadian Blood Services was one of 25 blood service organizations across 21 countries that launched the International Missing Type campaign to recruit new blood donors. “We need more Canadians to become regular blood donors to meet Canada’s future blood needs,” says Mark Donnison, vice president of donor relations. “Across Canada, we must collect 17,000 units of blood every
(OTTAWA) – Canadian Blood Services is uniting with blood donor organizations across 21 countries to highlight an almost 30 per cent international drop in people becoming blood donors compared to a decade ago. 1 The campaign – first held in England and North Wales by NHS Blood and Transplant in 2015 – this year brings together 25 blood services from 21 countries covering one billion of the world’s population who are each calling for new donors to ensure blood donation for future generations. “Blood type is one way we’re all connected, yet many people rarely think about it or even know what