Your Digest
REMINDER: Open board meeting this Thursday
Join us virtually at our upcoming open board meeting this Thursday, Dec. 1 (9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ET). Dr. Brian Postl, chair of the board, will present his opening remarks, introduce a guest speaker and reveal the recipients of three special awards. CEO, Dr. Graham Sher, will deliver his mid-year review and take questions from the public. In addition, stakeholders will have the opportunity to present to the board on various topics of interest. This is an important element of Canadian Blood Services’ transparency and accountability to people across Canada. Join the live broadcast available in English: http://obm.blood.ca/en and in French: http://obm.blood.ca/fr. If you’re unable to watch it live, a recording will be made available and shared via Your Digest.
It’s Giving Tuesday!
Today, on Giving Tuesday, we thank our supporters for making all the difference for patients — whether it’s by giving financially, volunteering, donating blood or plasma, or by joining the stem cell and organ and tissue registries. Taking place on the first Tuesday after Black Friday, Giving Tuesday celebrates the world’s largest generosity movement and kicks off the traditional giving season. This year, we’re encouraging people to learn more about the many ways to give to Canada’s Lifeline, by visiting 3in2023.blood.ca, and making a commitment to helping patients today and throughout the upcoming year.
Town hall Wednesday, Dec. 7: Call for questions
Our next live town hall event is coming up Wednesday, Dec. 7, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET. Guest panelists will be announced soon. Please submit questions in advance to communications@blood.ca with the subject line ‘TOWN HALL’ or use this anonymous form. You can also submit questions live during the event after joining with the meeting link in your Outlook invitation. We’ve seen great engagement prior and during the town hall events. Due to the large number of questions received, it may not always be possible to get to every inquiry, however we strive to provide responses through Your Digest, Connect or by emailing you directly if a name is included with the question.
Canadian Blood Services team receives Medical Post recognition for collaboration and medical innovation
On Nov. 10, a team of medical leaders from Canadian Blood Services and CHEO, a pediatric hospital in Ottawa, was recognized as Medical Post Award finalists for collaborating on first-of-its-kind research in Canada. This national recognition builds on the team’s earlier acceptance of the 2022 Excellence in Pharmacy Practice — Leadership award from the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists in February. Their award-winning research supporting children living with hemophilia was funded entirely by financial donations to Canadian Blood Services. Read more on Connect.
Question of the day
I’ve heard a lot lately about living organ donation. What is involved and what do I need to know?
Any adult who is in good health can be assessed to become a living donor. Here’s some of what you need to know about becoming a potential donor:
- Every potential donor must have a complete medical checkup to make sure they are healthy enough to donate.
- A potential donor could be a family member, friend, neighbour or acquaintance of the transplant candidate.
- A potential donor does not have to be the same age, sex or ethnicity as the transplant candidate. In fact, it can be anyone who is willing to donate. However, there are many factors that must be considered and the key is to be informed.
Did you know:
- Most of us are born with two kidneys. However, a healthy person can live a normal, healthy life with just one. This means that a healthy person can give a kidney to someone whose kidneys aren’t working. This gift is living kidney donation.
- Healthy adults may also be able to become living liver donors after extensive medical testing. A portion of the donor’s liver is surgically removed and transplanted into a recipient in need.
- Kidney paired donation is a program that matches transplant candidates with suitable living donors. If you want to donate one of your kidneys to a family member or a friend who needs a transplant, but you’re not a match, you could be paired with another potential donor and transplant candidate. Swapping donors in these two pairs makes two transplants possible.
Visit blood.ca for more information on living organ donations.
