Duane Hicks
Are you the type to save a life?
District residents once again are being encouraged to give the “gift of life” here next month when Canadian Blood Services (CBS) holds its annual fall blood donor clinic at Fort Frances High School.
The two-day clinic will run Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 4:30-8:30 p.m. and again Thursday, Sept. 9 from noon-3 p.m. and 5-8:30 p.m.
“The target we have set for the upcoming clinic on Sept. 8-9 is 342 donors and 288 units of blood,” CBS spokesperson Harvey Heather noted yesterday.
“This clinic, being so close to the long weekend in September and the summer season, is extremely important to ensuring an optimum blood inventory for Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba hospital patients,” Heather added.
“Blood collected at this clinic will help up to 864 patients requiring blood for surgery, cancer, and other ongoing treatments,” he noted.
CBS also would like to see new donors come out Sept. 8-9.
“In the coming year, it is estimated that 100,000 new donors are going to be needed in Canada to meet ongoing needs,” Heather warned.
“At the Fort Frances clinic, we would like to see 40-50 new donors attend the clinic to help others in the coming year.”
To make an appointment to give blood, call 1-888-2DONATE.
CBS also will try to accommodate walk-ins during the two-day clinic, but making an appointment beforehand is preferred.
Those who make appointments also are encouraged to call and cancel if they can’t make it—or send someone else to give blood in their time slot.
CBS is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec, as well as oversees the Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
CBS looks after 91 hospitals in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
On average, about 1,200 units per week are needed to meet the demand for blood, with CBS trying to keep enough on hand to supply each of the hospitals for four days.
One unit (donation) of blood can benefit up to three patients.
