We all have it in us.
Helping to save a life takes nothing more than 15 minutes of your life and a very minimum amount of discomfort. Needles are scary, that goes without saying, but when you weigh that against the possibility of saving someone’s life, it’s a no-brainer.
Canadian Blood Services is coming back to Barrhead for a donation clinic on Aug. 24. The goal is to collect 65 units of blood to help fill the shelves, and if it’s anything like their last visit to the community, Canadian Blood Services has nothing to worry about. Time and again, residents of this community continue to go above and beyond the call of duty when the call for blood is issued.
Approximately every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood. In fact, according to a recent poll, 52 per cent of Canadians say they, or a family member, have needed blood or blood products for surgery or for medical treatment. The need for blood is clear, and Canadian Blood Services knows it can rely on Barrhead residents in this time of need.
This year, Canadian Blood Services set its theme for National Blood Donor Week as “Rally Together to Save Lives,” and in order to meet Canada’s future blood requirements, Canadian Blood Services needs to inspire more Canadians to join the movement, including more Canadians from ethnic communities.
Approximately 20 per cent of the Canadian population identifies themselves as a visible minority, according to Canadian Blood Service, but less than seven per cent of blood donors identify themselves as visible minorities. This reflects a critical gap between the Canadian population and Canadian Blood Services’ donor base, putting a strain on the ability of Canada’s blood system to meet the needs of patients in the future.
More than a dozen new donors showed up at the Agrena the last time out, and that’s an encouraging sign. There were also a number of donors who have rolled up their sleeves many, many times to give blood. Some of those people were well over the 50-donation mark, and they all truly deserve recognition. Not everyone has the fortitude to stick with it that long, so it’s quite an accomplishment to obtain a donor card with more than 50 visits to the clinic.
The current donor base is aging, and soon there will be a huge gap in the number of donors. Our youth need to get involved. The future of Canadian Blood Services rests on their shoulders. It’s a big responsibility, but one that those here in Barrhead can no doubt handle.
