Sooke will host a blood donor clinic on Canada Day, July 1, and the Canadian Blood Services says there’s no better way to demonstrate your patriotic spirit than to give the “gift of life” to fellow Canadians.
The clinic will be held at Edward Milne community school between noon and 6 p.m.
“It’s harder to get people to come to donate through the summer months because a lot of our regular donors are off on vacation or otherwise occupied with summertime activities so we really rely on new donors to make up for that shortfall,” said Anne Chabert, a spokesperson for Canadian Blood Services.
And while the demand for blood is steady, the reason blood is needed shifts a bit during the summer months.
“During the school year the blood is needed primarily for surgery, but in the summer months, we see a lot of accidents that boost demand. Our highest single day demand for blood is Labour Day, for example,” Chabert said.
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Generating interest in blood donations is always a challenge, as people are often confused about the process, the time commitment and whether they are eligible to give blood and Chabert said it’s time to dispel some of the false ideas about giving blood.
“While it’s true that only about 50 per cent of the population can give blood, we can tell you right at the clinic if you are eligible,” Chabert said.
Only about four per cent of the people who are eligible to give blood actually take the time to make the donation, even though the entire process generally takes just under an hour of a donor’s time, Chabert said.
“People can go to our website (blood.ca) and reserve a time to come in so that they are certain that there will be no delays,” Chabert said.
“We also welcome walk-ins and we’ll do our best to keep the total time that your there, from walking in the door to getting your juice and cookie, to under an hour.”
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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