Donating Blood Is The Recession-Proof Gift, Canada

Main Category: Blood / Hematology
Article Date: 17 Dec 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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As the global economic crisis continues to wreak havoc around the world and talk of a recession grows louder here at home, Canadians are becoming more concerned about their own financial security - but still want to find a way to help those in need. That's why Canadian Blood Services is reminding people that giving blood is a recession-proof gift. Blood donation doesn't cost you anything, it only takes about an hour and the return on investment is measured in terms of lives saved.

Every year the holiday season presents a challenge for blood collection as people are preoccupied with holiday festivities - but this year the financial uncertainty presents an even greater challenge. Canadians are watching their retirement savings plunge; they're worried about keeping their jobs, making the mortgage payment and keeping up with the heating bills. All of this stress and financial uncertainty has people changing their spending habits.

Recent Ipsos Reid research found that 72 per cent of people polled are planning to cut back on their spending and live with less. The poll also found that 80 per cent of the population says it's going to get harder and harder to find time and money to help charities. All of this comes on the heels of Canadian Blood Services' call for help. On October 29th, Canadian Blood Services announced that its emergency reserve of blood had been depleted by 40 per cent and put out an urgent request for blood. The response from Canadians was encouraging and blood inventories have returned to optimal levels towards mid November and we are meeting hospital demand. But current forecasts suggest that between December 1st and January 2nd, hospitals will need more blood than current appointment bookings suggest we'll collect.

"Canadians Coast to Coast need to be commended for answering our call to action" says Ian Mumford, Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Blood Services. "The reality is most of the blood we collected during that time has already gone to hospital patients. Blood has a limited shelf life - 42 days and only five days for platelets and the need never stops. Cancer patients, patients who need life-saving surgery, trauma victims and many others depend on a stable blood supply year-round, not just when there is a crisis. We're hoping people will exchange an hour of their time to give the most precious gift - blood. By giving that hour, they could be giving up to three hospital patients a lifetime worth of holiday seasons."

Canadians looking for a cost-effective, yet gratifying, way to help others should consider giving blood. Ipsos Reid research found that 92 per cent of Canadian blood donors were glad to donate blood because it allows them to make a regular contribution to others no matter what troubles are facing our economy and our society. People can give the gift of blood every 56 days - it costs nothing and this is one gift that can make a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families.

Nathalie Rathwell-Hardy knows first hand about the need for a stable blood supply, particularly during the Holiday Season. Her daughter, Elizabeth was just 3 months old she was diagnosed with a rare liver disease. In total, Elizabeth received over 80 blood transfusions - 41 of those transfusions in the month of December, followed by a liver transplant on New Year's Eve. "When I saw the list of all the blood and blood products my little girl received, I immediately became a blood donor," says Rathwell-Hardy. "You don't realize how important it is to donate blood until your life is impacted by it. Those 81 transfusions came from 81 donors - each one a special gift that helped us keep our little girl. I thank those people every day for those gifts and I encourage others to share their most precious gift as well."

Every person who comes to a blood donor clinic over the holiday period will have an opportunity to donate "in honour" of a friend or loved one. The donor will then be able to hang a special star in clinic or send a holiday e-card to acknowledge that a life-saving donation was made "in honour" of the card recipient.

Canadian Blood Services is trying to recruit new donors by partnering with Dell Canada. Log on to www.blood.ca and click on The Greatest Gift Contest link. Correctly guess how many lives can be saved by the number of holiday helpers hiding in the picture. Remember, every helper who gives blood can save three lives. You could win one of 10 mini Dell laptops. Contest closes on January 9th. For more information about the contest and how to play visit our website.

About Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec. Canadian Blood Services also oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, and provides national leadership for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Canadian Blood Services operates 40 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. The provincial and territorial Ministries of Health provide operational funding to Canadian Blood Services. The federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for regulating the blood system.

Canadian Blood Services

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