By Sarah Klein
A new study suggests freshly donated blood is not better than older blood when it is transfused into severely ill patients. A bag of blood is shown at a clinic in Montreal, Thursday, November 29, 2012. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)
WINNIPEG — Canadian Blood Services has put the call out for local blood donations, which are used by hundreds of Canadian hospitals for patient care.
“Patients waiting for a transplant often need blood and blood products before and in some cases, even after the transplant,” said Susan Matsumoto, donor relations director of the prairie region.
CBS says such donations are used in patients waiting for a stem cell transplant, of which 800 Canadians are currently on the list.
Matsumoto says the organization is closing in on its goal of 100,000 new donors this year, but another 28,000 are still needed before the end of March.
“February is the month of love. Love is universal and one great way to express it is by donating blood. We hope Winnipeg residents take that message to heart.
In Winnipeg, more than 1,750 open appointments remain. To schedule a donation, visit Blood.ca, or visit the Winnipeg donor clinic at 777 William Avenue during regular hours.
