Road Traumas And Vacations Can Strain Blood System

In anticipation of the summer holiday impact on blood donations, Canadian Blood Services is urging area residents to help ‘top-up’ the blood supply at a local blood donor clinic before heading off on their travels. O negative blood donors are especially needed during June, July and August.
 
“Patients continue to count on more people to become blood donors, especially each summer when trauma can increase, causing demand to increase,” says Sue Blasutti, Director of Donor and Clinic Services, Canadian Blood Services. “An increase in hospital demand last summer led to the need for Canadian Blood Services to call on donors nationwide as our national blood inventory was depleted by 40 per cent. We urge you to give this summer to maintain inventory levels, especially around long weekends.”
 
One trauma patient may need as many as 30 – 50 units of blood to survive.  Donating blood is easy, it only takes an hour and your blood can make a direct impact on up to three patients needing help.

Locally:

• 4,100 units of O negative blood are needed this summer
• 38,700 units of all blood types are needed this summer

Nationally:

• 25,000 units of O negative blood are needed this summer
• 226,000 units of all blood types are needed summer

One of every two Canadians is eligible to give blood but only one of every sixty donates. Help change that statistic.  You’ll be glad that you did.  Call 1-888-236-6283 to make an appointment to give.  To find a clinic close to you or to learn more about blood donation and the patients your blood donations help, visit blood.ca and thankyourdonor.ca.