Canadian Blood Services in need of donors after pandemic causes large donation reduction
Canadian Blood Services continues to need more donors as blood donations dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trish Smith, with Canadian Blood Services, says donors have been carrying Canada's Lifeline over the past two years due to the virus preventing the organization from community recruitment activities.
''We saw a reduction in approximately 31,000 donors, so because of this we really need new donors to come out now and help us replenish our national blood supply," says Smith.
Blood donations are constantly needed across the country, as each donation is able to benefit patients battling different illnesses or injuries.
"Without blood products and without blood donation, patients wouldn't be able to battle things like cancer, and leukaemia, major surgeries, traumas, child birth, etc.," says Smith.
Smith adds, after two years of the pandemic, donations are needed now more than ever.
The donation process is fairly easy for those eligible. After booking an appointment and screening, the actual donation takes anywhere from five to 10 minutes.
"So you're not sitting in a bed, giving a donation for an hour and then we take you to the refreshment section and you get some treats and we send you on your way after we know you're feeling well," she says.
Some of those who have experience donating blood say the process is rewarding, knowing it could save a life.
"When you come in here you feel very welcomed and I know especially times like now where blood donors are really in high need, so it just feels good to do your part," says Greg O'Brien, blood donor.
"I've been a donor since I was 17, when you're allowed to start donating and I just think it's a really easy way to help others this summer and staff are great, so yeah, it's just an easy thing to do," says donor Payton Woods.
Those eligible to donate blood can book an appointment online.
"There's a lot of reasons why people may need blood products and the need for blood never takes a vacation, so we need our donors to continue to come in," says Smith.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
For the first time in report's history, Canada's air quality worse than U.S.
Air quality in Canada is now worse than in the U.S., according to the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report. Of the 15 most polluted cities in the two countries, 14 were in Canada.
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
BREAKING Roy McMurtry, former Ontario attorney general, dies at 91
CTV News has confirmed that former Ontario attorney general Roy McMurtry has died.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
DEVELOPING Canada's annual inflation rate ticked down to 2.8 per cent in February, defying expectations
Statistics Canada says the annual inflation rate edged down to 2.8 per cent in February.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.