Lazy days of summer means lower supply in our blood banks
Posted July 28, 2015 11:01 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – If you donate blood, do you donate year-round? Do you tend to forget over the summer, or not bother because of vacation time?
Canadian Blood Services is concerned about the amount being banked.
They’ve seen a steady decline over the summer, says BC/Yukon manager Gayle Voyer.
While that is typical this time of year, thanks to vacations or people visiting, Canadian Blood Services is urging you to roll up your sleeves before and after this August long weekend to get through the coming weeks.
“What we’re encouraging is for people to continue to come in. If you book an appointment, keep your appointment. And if you are coming in, maybe bring that company — somebody who’s visiting you — in with you to donate.”
Voyer tells us they try to collect 16,000 units of blood across the country every week.
“We typically [don’t] see our regular donors because they’re on vacation. We always are inviting new donors and donors that maybe haven’t seen us for awhile to come back and replenish that inventory.”
The Canada Safety Council has found there are more deaths on our roads during the summer than during any other time of year, and Voyer says it can take up to 50 donors to help just one injured person.
She adds platelets expire after just five days, so a constant supply is needed.
