Bishop’s University partners with Héma-québec for annual blood drive

Bishop’s University and Héma-québec will once again be partnering to host a blood drive for members of the community on Nov. 11 and 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The partnership between the university and Canadian Blood Services began in 2015 with the #Bleedpurple recruitment campaign. Since then, the two have continued working together each year to encourage the BU community to give blood and spread awareness.

According to the Canadian Blood Services, there is around a 60 per cent chance that an individual will receive a blood transfusion in their lifetime. Whole blood and blood products are an essential part of everyday medical care. Major surgeries and procedures, cancer treatments, and the ability for patients to manage diseases and disorders are often made possible by blood donations.

While only 12 per cent of donors are of non-caucasian origins, a diverse range of blood donors is required each year. In some cases, individuals require transfusions from donors with similar genetic makeups in order to prevent the body from rejecting any donated blood.

This year, in order to respect public health and safety guidelines concerning the pandemic, appointments must be made in order to donate on campus. The drive is open to the community, but those who wish to donate are required to wear a mask, have an appointment,

and observe any other guidelines in place by the University and those conducting the event.

Those who wish to donate are asked to book an appointment and consult the Héma-québec website for criteria on who is eligible.

https://www.hema-quebec.qc.ca/index.en.html