With Sudbury opening Canada's first plasma-only donor centre this week, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is counting on the support of the thousands of Sudburians, and northerners in general, to carry on the donor tradition that has been in place over the years.
The need for donations is still there, but now the agency is hoping those thousands of blood donors will become plasma donors.
CBS explained plasma is a liquid blood component that carries nutrients to all parts of the body and carries waste products out of the body, acting like a cell transportation system. It is also rich in vital proteins used to treat patients undergoing extensive surgery or trauma, and patients with bleeding disorders.
"This is actually the first-ever plasma-only centre in Canada. We opened our doors on [Aug. 25]. We are the only one open right now," said Teri-Mai Armstrong, the business development manager for plasma operations in Sudbury.
She said two additional centres are expected to open later this year and early in 2021. One centre will be in Lethbridge, Alta., and the other in Kelowna, B.C.
Sudbury's long-standing blood donor centre closed earlier this year, but the opening of plasma donor centre does not mean whole blood is no longer important. Armstrong said whole blood is still being donated in other cities in Canada and the inventory is being managed and controlled on a national level.
"But whether patients need whole blood or plasma we will definitely continue to work on their behalf and ensure they have what they need," said Armstrong.
Armstrong said the need for blood products has shifted to a greater demand for a lot of the components of whole blood. She said this includes blood plasma. She said what has changed is the way modern medicine uses blood products. She said modern surgery techniques have reduced some of the demand for whole blood.
“What we are seeing in plasma is an urgency to increase collections and that is driven by a rapid growth in demand for products that are made from the proteins in plasma. And this isn't just a Canadian issue. This is a global issue. This increase in demand is happening all over the world," said Armstrong.
She said the original plan was to open the new plasma centre at 900 Lasalle Boulevard, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction schedule was changed. Armstrong said the plan is to open the Lasalle Boulevard venue in December. The 944 Barrydowne Road location will be used as the temporary plasma donor centre.
In the meantime, Armstrong said CBS is still seeking those generous Northern Ontario donors who made a point of being a regular blood donor a few times a year.
"You can donate plasma so much more often than you can donate blood. Male donors can donate plasma once a week, because your body recuperates it so very quickly. Women can donate once every two weeks.”
Armstrong said regular supporters of the blood service have told her they are excited about being able to help out more often.
Donating for plasma is not all that different from a blood donation. Once an appointment is made, all donors are screened to ensure they are suitable candidates for donating.
When making a donation, the donor has a needle inserted into their vein in the normal way, similar to a blood donation, but instead of the tube connecting to a bag, it is connected to a machine. The blood goes through a centrifuge that separates the plasma from the rest of the blood components. The rest of the blood is then returned to the donor’s body.
"It actually only takes 20 minutes longer than a whole blood donation … about 90 minutes," Armstrong said.
Donors can book appointments online, downloading the GiveBlood app or by calling 1-888-2-DONATE (236-6283).
