Canadian Blood Services (CBS) ran a blood clinic at the Westlock Community Hall on July 8 with tremendous support from the Westlock community.
The clinic ran from 2 until 7 p.m. with more than 200 people donating blood and 111 units of blood collected. One blood donation can save up to three lives, according to CBS.
CBS runs blood clinics around four times per year in Westlock but there is a permanent donation clinic in Edmonton in Rideau Park off 106 street and Whitmund Drive. CBS runs 35 permanent donor centres and more than 4,000 mobile donor centres across Canada with more than 13,000 donation events per year.
CBS uses the blood from clinics to save patient lives which are used for cancer treatment, car crash victims and surgeries. Blood from clinics such as the one in Westlock is transported across Canada to wherever it is needed most.
CBS blood donation program
According to CBS, 1 in 2 Canadians are eligible to give blood, but only 1 in 76 choose to do so. Blood donation eligibility is determined by general good health, ability to perform normal day-to-day activities, an age of at least 17 and meeting the height and weight requirements (at least 110 lbs and 4’10”). It is important for donors to be in good health on the day of donation and regular donations may be made every 56 days for males and every 84 days for females.
About 7 per cent of Canadian blood donors have O- blood which can be used as a universal blood type for donation.
Additional CBS services
The CBS also has programs in plasma donation, stem cells and organs/tissues.
Plasma is the liquid component of blood which makes up 55 per cent of the blood’s volume. For plasma donation, the blood plasma is separated from the rest of the blood components including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets which is returned to the bloodstream during the process. Donated plasma can be used to assist patients with bleeding disorders and trauma. Donated plasma can be used for medication and transfusion. Plasma can be donated every 6 to 56 days depending on the donation program.
Stem cells are important in biological human development and tissue repair. Donated stem cells can be used to treat diseases such leukemia, lymphoma, bone marrow deficiency, anemia and immune system/metabolic disorders. Stem cells donated through the CBS program are put into a registry system where stem cells can be matched with recipients who are usually of a similar ethnic background. Stem cells can be collected through the bloodstream in a similar procedure to blood donation as well as surgical bone marrow stem cell donation or umbilical cord blood which can be collected from a safely delivered baby.
The CBS also has programs in organ donation including living kidney donation as well as deceased organ donation which can assist in life saving surgeries and disease treatment.
