With COVID-19 travel guidelines in place, 2020 may be the perfect year to start new holiday traditions.
Canadian Blood Services (CBS) hopes New Brunswickers will consider adding donating to their annual to-do lists.
Peter MacDonald, director of donor relations in Atlantic Canada, says there’s always a demand for donations, due to a short shelf-life.
“The need remains constant,” he said. “It’s about the fewer opportunities to collect blood as demand continues to go on.”
He says the primary need is for blood platelets, which have a shelf-life of just seven days.
Platelets are a key component of cancer treatment, making it imperative that CBS remains well-stocked heading into the new year.
“We need to ensure cancer patients receive the treatment they need so they can enjoy the holidays the same as everybody else,” said MacDonald.
CBS will host clinics in Quispamsis, St. Stephen and Sussex over the holidays.
MacDonald says the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed many things for their donation drives, but it hasn’t rid them of every donor’s favourite tradition: the juice and cookie.
“We’re asking folks to sit for five minutes, not to remove their mask to consume their juice and cookies,” MacDonald said. “But take them with you on a grab and go basis. We don’t want the cookies to be lonely, we’ll need lots of people out to support them, but you’ll have to take them on the run.”
For more information on donation opportunities, head to Canadian Blood Services’ website, or call 1-888-2-DONATE.
