10,000 blood donations urgently required this week

Canadian Blood Services, 7 Wicklow St., St. John’s, is open for donations as follows: Tuesday: 3-7 p.m. Wednesday: 3-7 p.m. Thursday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

People across Newfoundland and Labrador who are eligible to give blood to the Canadian Blood Services is being urged to do so, as about 10,000 donations are required this week. Canadian Blood Services issued a nationwide call for donations Feb. 21 citing the need for more than 35,000 donors by March 10 to ensure all patients continue to have access to the blood and blood products they need. The national inventory and days on hand of several blood groups remain

at critically low levels.

“We’ve had an increase in donations across Canada since Feb. 20 when we urged 35,000 new and returning donors to give blood,” Rick Prinzen, Canadian Blood Services’ chief supply chain officer, stated Monday in a news release.

“We’re pleased collections in many areas have improved, but floods in Ontario and a late snowfall in B.C. hampered our efforts to replenish the national blood supply to levels we need. With less than a week to go in our urgent call for blood donors, we still have thousands of open appointments to donate blood.”

Given its short shelf life, the need for blood is constant. Cancer patients, accident victims and people with blood disorders rely on blood transfusions every day.

More regular donors are needed to maintain a strong national inventory of blood and blood products. Less than four per cent of eligible donors give blood each year.

Making an appointment to donate has never been easier. Visit blood.ca, download the Give blood app or call 1-888-2-DONATE and find a nearby donation site.

Walk in appointments are also available.