As 2016 comes to a close, Canadian Blood Service is in desperate need of donors.

Lisa Castro, Territory Manager for Canadian Blood Services, says her team has been trying to get people out to clinics over Christmas to give blood and fill their quotas.

"Over the holiday season, we've been working really hard to remind everyone that Canadian patients' need for blood is constant and that they need a gift which can't be bought, and that's through blood donations."

Castro says that the usual holiday busyness, combined with the extreme cold weather Alberta has recently experienced, has kept potential donors out of clinics. Canadian Blood Services in our region is currently looking for 800 to 1000 donors before the new year.

A number of permanent blood clinics run in Calgary and are in need of donations. For out-of-towners who may not be able to get to the city, Castro says there are other ways to find nearby clinics.

"How you can access the next clinic in Airdrie and in Cochrane is by going to Blood.ca or you can download our GiveBlood app, and it'll show you where your next available clinic is."

Castro hopes that the people of Airdrie and Cochrane will find it in themselves to help Canadian Blood services before the end of the year.

"Honestly, the need for blood over the holidays doesn't stop, and it's not going to stop into the new year, so we're really counting on the residents of the Cochrane and Airdrie area to step up and donate blood."

 

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