Staff
With a successful first day under its belt, Canadian Blood Services is aiming to meet its two-day donor quota as it wraps up its fall blood donor clinic today at Fort Frances High School.
A total of 141 donors stepped forward yesterday to give 118 units of blood in the high school gym.
This was right in line with the day’s quota of 118 units, CBS spokesperson Harvey Heather noted this morning.
The clinic continues today from noon-3 p.m. and 5-8 p.m., with CBS wanting to see another 170 units donated.
Heather stressed it’s not too late for people to make appointments to donate by phoning 1-888-2DONATE, noting they can call a mere half-hour to an hour prior coming to the clinic.
Heather said CBS also will try to accommodate walk-ins, but that appointments are preferred.
“We do have a few walk-in spots,” he remarked.
“If they’re able to come by, and not able to make an appointment, we’ll sure try to get them through the best we can.”
But Heather explained that appointments are better both for donors and CBS staff, adding that before the appointment system was used, there would be long lineups of people waiting to donate.
“It definitely makes it smoother for all the donors, and helps our staff to process people efficiently, as well,” he said.
CBS is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec, and also oversees the Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
CBS looks after 91 hospitals in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
Each week, CBS supplies roughly 1,200 units of blood for patients, including those in the three hospitals here in Rainy River District.
These units are used to assist patients requiring surgery, transplants, cancer, and other treatments.
Cancer patients, for instance, may require up to eight units of platelets each week.
A single donation can assist up to three patients, so every donation counts!
More than 50 percent of Canadians surveyed already have received blood for themselves or someone in their immediate family, yet only one-in-60 Canadians currently donate blood.
Up to 100,000 new donors will be needed in Canada this year.
