Canadian Blood Services reports after asking more people in Canada to donate blood and plasma this summer, distribution of blood to hospitals continues to outpace the number of donations being made across Canada, including in Alberta.
Canadian Blood Services sends Alberta hospitals more than 1,700 units of blood per week to treat patients so it’s incredibly important that people donate blood—or other blood components, like plasma and platelets—to prevent patient care from being impacted,” said Dr. Ghazala Radwi, Medical Lead – Transfusion Medicine North Sector, Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL).
“When a patient needs blood, there is no substitute. Without it, lives are at stake.”
In addition to serious trauma and emergency care, blood and blood products are a critical part of everyday medical care including major surgeries, medical procedures, cancer treatments and managing diseases and disorders.
“As quickly as we collect blood, hospitals are calling for more. There are simply not enough people donating in Alberta to ensure patients’ needs will continue to be met long term,” said Jennifer Gretzan, associate director, donor relations, Canadian Blood Services.
While Canadian Blood Services manages a national inventory and blood can be moved around the country, the national blood system depends on donors showing up across Canada, including in Alberta.
Blood donors in Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, etc. help ensure hospitals in the province receive the blood they need — including:
- The University of Alberta Hospital, which needs more than 38,000 units of blood per year.
- Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, which needs more than 5,800 units of blood per year.
- Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, which needs more than 31,000 units of blood per year.
To keep meeting the needs of patients in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada, more than 7, 500 people are needed to donate blood between now and Nov. 11 at the Edmonton blood donor centre, located at 8249 114 St. N.W.; the Red Deer blood donor centre, located at 5020 68 St.; or the Calgary donor centre, located at 200 Barclay Parade S.W.
There are nearly three million people in Alberta who are eligible to donate blood, yet only a mere fraction do—just over two per cent of the population.
Canadian Blood Services regularly updates eligibility criteria for donating blood. You may be able to donate—even if you couldn’t before.
Go to blood.ca, download the Give Blood App or call 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283) and book an appointment today, tomorrow and in the coming weeks.
If you cannot donate, you can still help save lives in other ways. Visit blood.ca to learn how you can make all the difference for patients and their families. You can also ask friends, family and colleagues to donate blood and share the message on social media.
