Duane Hicks
Slated here
April 22-23
The Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is on the lookout for new faces—and arms—to come out to its spring donor clinic coming up April 22-23 at Fort Frances High School.
It will run from 4:30-8:30 p.m. on the Wednesday and again from noon-3 p.m. and 5-8:30 p.m. on the Thursday.
Donors can make an appointment today by calling 1-888-2DONATE (1-888-236-6283) or visiting www.blood.ca
CBS spokesperson Harvey Heather said a two-day goal of 400 donors has been set for this year’s spring clinic.
He added CBS would like to see more new donors at the spring clinic—not only to meet the increasing demand for blood, but to help replace any past donors who no longer may be able to donate due to health reasons or possibly having passed away.
“The number-one reason people say they have not donated before is: ‘I’ve never been asked.’ Well, we’re asking!” Heather remarked.
To give a little inspiration to those who may not have given blood before, Heather recalled that he once spoke with a donor who told him, “I love being a blood donor.”
“I thought it was quite unusual and said, ‘Why is that?’ He said, ‘Being a blood donor means that I have the gift of good health, and it’s a gift I can share with others who don’t have that gift of good health.’
“I thought that was the perfect definition of a blood donor,” Heather noted. “We take our good health for granted sometimes, and it took that gentleman to remind me what it’s all about.
“Some people, without that gift, would no longer be around or wouldn’t have a very good life,” he stressed. “We want to make sure whatever we can do to help that, we will.”
Heather said the clinics in Fort Frances have a history of being very successful, and hopes to see that tradition carry on later this month.
“The previous clinic in April of last year, we had a total of 411 donors, 362 units of blood collected, and 44 new donors,” he noted. “Since a single unit [donation] of blood can help up to three people, up to 1,086 patients benefited from this clinic.
“Altogether last year, up to 2,091 patients were helped by Fort Frances and area donors.”
While donors are urged to make appointments to give blood, walk-ins will be welcome—although there’s no guarantee you won’t have to wait a while.
Those who’ve made appointments, but are unable to keep them, are highly encouraged to either have someone else go in their place or call CBS at 1-888-236-6283 and cancel so that another donor can have the spot.
CBS looks after 91 hospitals in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, including those here in Rainy River District.
About 60,000 units of blood per year are needed to meet the demand of those facilities.
For more information on who can donate, why you should donate, and more, go to www.blood.ca
