Give blood: Canadian Blood Services calls for thousands of donations

July 13, 2021

As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease and hospitals across the country begin resuming elective surgeries, the need for blood donations has increased. On July 6, Canadian Blood Services put out a call for 23,000 blood donors by the end of the month but, with many Canadians on holidays, clinics are seeing fewer donations.

There is a particular need for donors with O-negative blood, which is compatible with all blood types, though donations of all blood types are needed. Wilfrid Laurier University staff, faculty, students, alumni and community members are encouraged to make an appointment at a Canadian Blood Services clinic to donate.

Canadian Blood Services has a permanent clinic at 94 Bridgeport Rd. E. in Waterloo and pop-up clinics across Ontario, including in Brantford, Milton and Kitchener.

Wherever you are, you can make an appointment at a clinic near you on the Canadian Blood Services website or by calling 1-888-2-DONATE. One blood donation can save up to three lives.

If you are unsure if you are eligible to donate blood, please visit the Canadian Blood Services eligibility page or call 1-888-2-DONATE to talk with a nurse. It is safe to donate blood during COVID-19. Visit the Canadian Blood Services website for details about donor health requirements, screening measures and cleaning practices.

Laurier is a member of Canadian Blood Services’ Partner for Life program and pledges blood donations to the organization every year. There are two ways to have your donation included in Laurier’s pledge:

• Fill out the Partners for Life Member Registration Form prior to donating and include Laurier’s partner ID: WILF001529
• Upon arrival at the clinic, inform staff that you would like your donation to count toward Laurier’s pledge.

Wilfrid Laurier University has reached 77% of the number of blood donations it pledged to Canadian Blood Services for this year, with a total of 268 donations so far. The university has pledged to donate 350 units of blood by the end of 2021. Last year, Laurier donors contributed a record-breaking 477 units of blood to Canadian Blood Services, surpassing the university’s pledge by 127 donations.

The incredible number of donations this year and last is thanks in part to the Blood Battle in support of Canadian Blood Services, in which athletes, coaches, support staff and fans from Laurier Athletics aimed to donate more blood than their counterparts at the University of Waterloo. The Golden Hawks contributed 266 units of blood during the 2020 battle.