Canadian Blood Services is pushing for new donors this long weekend with over 500 open appointments to fill in Saanich and the West Shore.
Five hundred appointments are available at the fixed blood donor clinic at 3449 Saanich Rd., with clinic days July 29 and 30 and Aug. 2 to 6.
On the West Shore, 50 appointments need filling at the clinic being run at Colwood Church at 2250 Sooke Rd. The donation event runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 1 and Aug. 29.
“Summer months are always a challenge for collections, but it is important to remember that patient need doesn’t pause for good weather. When some are enjoying cottage fun, cancer patients, accident victims and people with blood disorders are in need of lifesaving blood products,” a spokesperson for Canadian Blood Services said in an email.
The national blood collection agency reported that the pandemic saw regular donor numbers drop by 31,000, resulting in the smallest donor base in a decade. But those numbers picked up with June 2022 being the third-highest month for welcoming new donors since the start of the pandemic.
In total, Canadian Blood Services says it needs more than 100,000 new donors in Canada this year to keep up with demand.
READ MORE: Number of Canadian blood donors plummets to lowest point in a decade during COVID-19
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