The Greater Sudbury area has more than 800 plasma donation appointments to fill over the Christmas holidays and Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is encouraging all those who can to book an appointment.
“It is typically more challenging to collect plasma during the last two weeks of December, but that is when donations are especially needed. With the timing of statutory holidays, regular collections schedules are interrupted, so it is important that every available appointment is filled on the days when donation centres are open,” said CBS spokesperson Agnese Caruso in a news release.
The Sudbury Plasma Donor Centre, 900 Lasalle Blvd, is open its regular hours this week:
- Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Tuesday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Over the holidays, the centre is open on the following hours:
- Dec. 27-29, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Dec. 24-26: Closed
- Dec 30 and Jan. 1: Closed
Across Canada, more than 31,000 blood and plasma donors are needed before January 7 to ensure patients in hospitals have the life essentials they depend on.
“Over the next few weeks, every available appointment needs to be filled so that hospitals can receive the blood and blood products they need,” said Ron Vezina, vice-president of public affairs for Canadian Blood Services. “It’s something that can change lives.”
The last two weeks of December and the first week of January are especially challenging to get donations, Canadian Blood Services said, as regular schedules are disrupted. However, blood products are perishable and need to be collected consistently to ensure a fresh supply.
For instance, platelets, which are part of every blood donation, have a shelf life of only seven days.
With self-serve options on Blood.ca and the GiveBlood app, donors can select the time and location that is most convenient for them.
