Duane Hicks
Canadian Blood Services is changing when it holds its blood donor clinics, with the spring clinic here having been rescheduled from April to August.
“Nationally at Canadian Blood Services, one of our top priorities is to ensure we collect the right type and number of blood and blood products at the right time,” CBS spokesperson Harvey Heather explained yesterday.
“This means we have had to make significant changes to our clinic planning, affecting many of our clinics across the country.
“We have had to look at how many units of blood are collected at each clinic, and determine when each clinic is needed most,” he added.
“It was determined that the approximately 300 units [donations] of blood we collect in Fort Frances is most needed in the summer, when many business, school, and university clinics are not as available.”
Heather said CBS has “had to make tough decisions—reducing less cost-effective clinics and expanding the most efficient clinics throughout the year,” and consequently had to reduce the frequency of many clinics, including in Fort Frances, resulting in only one clinic here tentatively set for August.
He noted more details will be confirmed sometime in May, at which time CBS will advise all donors, including those who previously have booked appointments, to let them know about the upcoming clinic.
CBS wants to thank all of its faithful donors, sponsors, and volunteers for their continued support of blood donor clinics in Fort Frances and, more importantly, for supporting patients needing blood and blood products, Heather said.
“We sincerely appreciate the support we have from Fort area donors,” he remarked.
“And although this is a significant change, we ask that area donors continue to help us provide blood for patients in need over the critical summer season, when we most need your assistance,” he stressed.
Heather noted some donors like to give more frequently than once a year, and pointed out CBS schedules more than 20,000 blood donor clinics in Canada annually.
So donors on vacation, or travelling to other communities, can visit its website—www.blood.ca—and use the “Clinic Finder” feature.
They just have to enter the date and location they will be travelling to, and they will be informed where to find the location, clinic hours, directions, and even a map to show how to get there.
Donors can call the 1-888-2DONATE number for these clinics, as well.
If anyone has any other comments or concerns, call Heather at 1-204-789-1049.
