Canadian Blood Services Calls On Donors for Critical Months

Ottawa, June 8, 2009 -- As National Blood Donor Week begins, Canadian Blood Services is calling on donors across the country to give the life-saving gift during the critical summer months and ensure that the national blood inventory remains at acceptable levels.

"While we recognize the ongoing contributions of donors across Canada, the need for blood never stops. This is certainly true during the summer when people focus on vacation plans and warm weather activities," said Ian Mumford, Chief Operating Officer of Canadian Blood Services. "Donations made in June, July and August will help to ensure that we are able to meet hospital demand for blood and blood products."

Canadian Blood Services forecasts that it needs to collect 226,000 units of whole blood, 13,000 units of plasma, and 10,000 units of platelets during June, July and August to meet hospital demand throughout the country. The organization also forecasts that it needs 25,000 units of O negative blood type during the summer to meet hospital demand. (The O negative blood type can be given to most people).

Canadian Blood Services is celebrating National Blood Donor Week - which begins today and culminates with World Blood Donor Day on June 14 - and issuing a special call for donations of blood, plasma and platelets over the summer months.

An increase in hospital demand last summer led to the need for Canadian Blood Services to call on donors nationwide as the national blood inventory was depleted by 40 per cent. Canadians responded, and within three weeks inventory levels were back to optimum levels.

"We want to prevent any reduction in inventory levels that would again make it difficult to meet hospital demand, which is why we are reminding people that it is important to donate blood, plasma and platelets during the summer," said Mark Donnison, Executive Director of Donor and Clinic Services at Canadian Blood Services. Mr. Donnison noted that people who donate during National Blood Donor Week will be eligible to donate again around the civic holiday and Labour Day long weekends - other historically challenging periods.

Most donors book an appointment to donate blood. However, it is common for appointments to be cancelled or for donors to not show up at a scheduled time as the weather warms up and people travel for vacation. Yet, demand for blood never stops and Canadian Blood Services has to keep up with hospital demand throughout the year. The organization is therefore required to book more appointments than usual during the summer months to counter a drop in donor attendance.

Canadian Blood Services theme for National Blood Donor Week is "It Takes all Types," which serves as a reminder that almost anyone can donate blood; all types of blood are needed (A, AB, B and O); and three different types of donations (whole blood, plasma and platelets) can be made.

To donate your type of blood, call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) today to book an appointment. Canadian Blood Services also invites people to learn more about the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network. You could be the OneMatch to save a person's life. Please visit www.onematch.ca for more information.

About World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day falls within National Blood Donor Week on June 14 - the birth date of Karl Landsteiner, a pioneer of transfusion medicine. Every year the World Health Organization selects a country to host international celebrations. This year's host is Australia with the theme "It Takes all Types."

About National Blood Donor Week

In 2008, a bill was passed by the federal government in Ottawa recognizing National Blood Donor Week as an opportunity to celebrate and thank the donors and volunteers of the blood system in Canada who ensure the health of their fellow citizens. The week also builds awareness of the importance of blood, plasma, platelet and bone and stem cell donations, and encourages Canadians to donate or become a volunteer - especially during the challenging summer months.

By The Numbers

• Canadian Blood Services needs close to 1 million blood donations in 2009
• Units of whole blood that need to be collected from June to August: 226,000
• Units of plasma that need to be collected from June to August: 13,000
• Units of platelets that need to be collected from June to August: 10,000
• Donors can give blood every 56 days, or six to seven times each year
• Plasma and platelets can be donated more frequently than blood
• Approximately one in two Canadians are eligible to give blood
• Last year, one in 60 Canadians made a blood donation
• All blood types are needed (A, AB, B and O)

About Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec and oversees the country's OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network. A dedicated team of about 4,600 staff and 17,000 volunteers enable us to operate 40 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. Canadian Blood Services is a non-governmental organization, however the provincial and territorial ministers of health provide operational funding, and the federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for regulating the blood system. For more info, visit www.blood.ca

Media Contact

Joel Baglole
Canadian Blood Services
Tel: (613) 739-2538
Email: joel.baglole@blood.ca

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