Blood drives being organized in honour of Brayden Ross

A blood drive will take place in mid-March in support of a 17-year-old Pictou County boy recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

Bone marrow drives have already taken place in the county in hopes of finding a match for Brayden Ross and now the local community is going one step further to show its support for the teen and his family.

Blood drives will take place March 19 to 22 in Pictou, Sutherland’s River and New Glasgow, said Russell Borden who works at Frank H. MacDonald School where Ross attended school and still has family working in the school.

“This is a way for us to help him and others suffering and in need,” said Borden.

Blood collection drives will take place at the Pictou Armouries on March 19 from 5 to 8 p.m.; Frank H. MacDonald School on March 20 from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. as well Summer Street Industries on March 21 and 22 from 5 to 8 p.m.

So far, Pictou is 59 per cent booked, New Glasgow is 100 per cent booked on March 21 and 63 per cent booked on March 22. The session at Frank H. MacDonald is 37 per cent and a large majority of the bookings are from first-time donors.

Borden said having the blood drive at the school opens it up to rural residents who can’t make it to Pictou or New Glasgow to give a donation.

Appointments for blood donations can be made on the Canadian Blood Services website at blood.ca or by phone 1-888-2-donate.