ONA urges folks to help stock up on blood

Canadian Blood Services
News Release

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Labour Day is the last long weekend of the summer and with it comes last minute travel, family activities or vacations before the start of a new school year. Canadian Blood Services and the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) are encouraging all North Bay residents to help ensure an adequate blood supply is available by donating blood on days leading up to, during or following the Labour Day weekend. This year, we have seen an increase in hospital demand across the country.

Nurses and allied health professionals see first hand the need for blood in their day to day duties. Whether it is in the emergency room, the oncology ward or the surgical unit, blood plays a vital role in a patient’s treatments and recovery. “The 54,000 members of the Ontario Nurses' Association know how important blood donations are - they're the front-line nurses who treat patients desperately in need of transfusions.” says ONA President, Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN.

Steven Tipman, Director of Donor and Clinic Services with Canadian Blood Services says that “summer is a particularly challenging time of year to collect blood, since donors change their routines, take vacations, travel and are distracted with outdoor activities.” He adds that “meanwhile, the need for blood does not take a summer vacation.”

On average, every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood or blood products. And the hour it takes to give has the potential to save up to three lives.

You can make an appointment today by calling 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283). Donating blood only takes an hour of your time and with just an hour of your time you can save 3 lives.

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