Hockey Gives Blood
Join the Hockey Gives Blood team of blood and plasma donors!
How to join the Hockey Gives Blood Partners for Life team:
- Set up an account on blood.ca/pfl or on the GiveBlood app for Apple or Android
- Select “partners” from the menu
- Select “join a team” and type Hockey Gives Blood in the search bar
- You can join the national team as well as your local hockey team.
Book your next appointment either through your team bookings (visible under your team when a Champion has worked with Canadian Blood Services and reserved a block of appointments) or as an individual.
Hockey Gives Blood Player Ambassador Program
The Hockey Gives Blood Player Ambassador program comprises of young developing hockey players from across Canada who have been recognized by their peers as influential champions. These ambassadors diligently promote the ongoing need for blood, stem cells and organ and tissue donations to help save lives.
Learn more about the Hockey Gives Blood Player Ambassador program.
Be A Hero
Patients in need of stem cell transplants are more likely to find a match with a donor who shares their ethnic background. Currently, only 33% of potential donors in Canada's stem cell registry come from Indigenous, Asian, South Asian, Hispanic, mixed-race and Black backgrounds, making it particularly challenging for patients from these groups to find a match. #BeAHero to patients in need.
University of New Brunswick REDS inspire hockey teams and other varsity teams to donate blood
In October 2021, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) REDS men’s and women’s hockey team joined each other off the ice for a blood donation event. Although there were almost 40 appointments reserved for the two hockey teams, word of the event quickly travelled to other varsity teams who were also eager to support Hockey Gives Blood. Women’s volleyball, basketball and men’s soccer quickly filled the remaining spots.
“To see so many REDS student-athletes answering the call to donate was inspiring. Our women’s and men’s hockey teams, spurred by Hockey Gives Blood, responded in large numbers,” said Andy Campbell, communications manager, UNB REDS. “Our REDS student-athletes are constantly looking for ways to support the community and donating blood has become another avenue for them to give back. We look forward to continuing our support of Canadian Blood Service and Hockey Gives Blood in the future.”
Player ambassadors, Thomas Casey (left) and Kendra Woodland (right) from the University of New Brunswick REDS men’s and women’s hockey teams, donate blood in Fredericton, NB.
Player Ambassador Spotlight: Julia Schmitt
When Julia Schmitt was 13 years old, her father Mike was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer. As part of his intensive treatment, Mike began receiving regular blood transfusions.
“The way (my parents) explained it to me was that people from our community and across the country were donating their blood so that my dad could have the strength to keep up his fight with cancer. When I learned that, I told my parents that whatever my dad’s outcome was, I wanted to become a blood donor myself one day so that I could help bring hope to other families like ours.”
Southgate Lions U15 AAA Adopts a Donor Event
Inspired by their trainer, Alicia, who received blood transfusions after being involved in a motor vehicle accident, the AAA hockey players from Southgate Lions in Edmonton, Alta. wanted to make a difference. Despite only being in their early teens and not old enough to donate blood yet, the players eagerly recruited their parents and siblings to roll up their sleeves at the Edmonton Donor Centre. Both coaches and parents, wearing team jerseys, donated over the Family Day weekend in February 2021, bringing extra meaning to the statutory holiday.
Saving a life through stem cell donation
Imagine being told your stem cells could save someone’s life — and then learning they did!
That’s what happened to Brady. He joined the Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry upon hearing that a young boy in his community was looking for a match. While Brady was unfortunately not a match for that specific patient, his stem cells were still able to save a life.