Your Digest
Cord blood donor encourages other parents to give life twice
Dominika Randell and her husband, Andreas, have been regular blood donors for years. But when they realized they could donate their baby’s cord blood, which contains stem cells, to help save the life of someone else, they didn’t hesitate to sign up. Essentially, they gave life to their new baby and to someone they don’t even know. Today, more than 1,000 Canadians are waiting for a lifesaving stem cell transplant, but only about a quarter of them will find matching donors within their own families. The rest will need stem cells from adult donors identified through Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry or from donated cord blood. As we close out Cord Blood Awareness month, read Dominika’s full story on blood.ca.
World unites for Tribute to Life
The Commonwealth Tribute to Life project creates a framework for Commonwealth nations to share knowledge and expertise for the purpose of improving organ and tissue donation and transplantation systems around the world. The inaugural ceremony celebrating the Commonwealth Tribute to Life project took place on July 22, 2022, in Birmingham, U.K. as part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Canada, represented by Canadian Blood Services, is a signatory and supporter of this noble and humanitarian effort which showcased organ and tissue donation and its powerful impact on patients, families and communities. Visit Connect for more details and a video of the different nations uniting to symbolically pass a heart to one and other.
Employees reflect on Disability Pride month
Throughout July, members of the disability community across Canada and within Canadian Blood Services have been celebrating Disability Pride Month. Honouring disability culture and history, Disability Pride focuses on uplifting the stories of people with disabilities and promotes disabled joy. It’s a movement that’s of particular significance at our organization, as almost half of our employees identify as having some form of disability. “Disability Pride is important because there has, for a long time, been this whole concept about disability where we’re not supposed to feel proud,” said Christine Selinger, an instructional designer in Calgary, Alta., and member of our Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities (AVID) employee resource group. “There’s this dichotomy sometimes, where you’re either seen as “superhuman” or as worthless. [But] we’re wonderfully ordinary and wonderfully human.” Read more on Connect.
Where to find information on the changes to mask and physical distancing measures
Earlier this week, we suspended mandatory masks and physical distancing requirements in our buildings, vehicles and collections events. Although no longer required, masks are still available for those who choose to wear one. You may have read or heard media coverage that questioned this change. Our suspension of these measures aligns with epidemiological advice: that we are at a stage in this pandemic where we can shift from mandatory to optional measures. This can happen because the majority of Canadians are fully vaccinated, and illness now caused by COVID-19 is far less severe in most cases. Canadian Blood Services is in a unique position as we provide life-saving products to hospitals, but we are not considered a healthcare setting, as we do not provide patient care. Answers to many frequently asked questions can be found on the employee portal. If you have any further questions, please send them to communications@blood.ca.
Question of the day
I’ve heard some of my colleagues make regular charitable donations to Canadian Blood Services. How do they do this and what difference do their financial donations make?
When employees make the personal choice to give financially to Canadian Blood Services, it complements the critical work they do by helping us invest even more to help patients.
Employees have the unique option to make voluntary payroll deductions — whether one time or on a recurring basis — by completing a ‘Canadian Blood Services Donation Form’ within Employee Direct Access. Employees can also make a financial donation, or launch a fundraising campaign, any time by visiting give.blood.ca. To learn more about your giving options as an employee, contact philanthropy@blood.ca.
Financial gifts help to boost recruitment initiatives to attract new blood, plasma and stem cell donors, and fuel research, education, innovation and new technologies in transfusion and transplantation medicine.
