5 ways your blood or plasma donation will help another Canadian in need

Canadians are always ready to help out fellow Canadians right? Well this summer is the time to act on that notion. This is your official invitation from Canadian Blood Services to join Canada’s Lifeline and donate much-needed blood or plasma.

Canadian Blood Services says a recent IPSOS survey found that 87% of Canadians profiled recognize the need for blood products, yet nearly 50% say they have not donated because they are waiting to be asked. Well, you can consider this as a formal request from the organization.

Canadian Blood Services

This summer in Canada, over 150,00 open donation appointments need to be filled and since the summer time means vacations for those who can take them, donation appointments are often cancelled.

A blood or plasma donation isn’t insignificant — it’s actually life-changing. It’s everyday people making a connection, saving lives, and strengthening Canada’s Lifeline.

To show you just how important a single blood or plasma donation is in helping your fellow Canadians, here are just a few examples of how your donations are used.

Surgeries

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Blood and blood product donations are a critical part of everyday medical care, surgeries included. Whether they be medical procedures, cancer treatments, or even managing diseases, the need for blood and plasma is always there.

During a donation appointment, CBS workers will collect approximately 480 ml (or a pint) of blood. That donated plasma will be replaced by your own body within hours, and the platelets will be replaced within a few days.

Patients in need receive blood transfusions for all kinds of scenarios, including serious injuries and surgeries, where doctors assess a patient’s injuries and determine if a transfusion is needed and what type of blood is required. 

Chronic Illness

Blood has several characteristics like red blood cells (carrying oxygen), white blood cells (fighting infections), plasma (an amber-coloured liquid), and platelets (helping to clot), while needs vary from patient to patient.

Chronic illnesses that sometimes require blood transfusions include anemia, thalassemia, and bleeding disorders like Willebrand and hemophilia. Sometimes, cancers that involve bone marrow, like leukemia, or ones that impact organs, like the kidney or spleen, may also require treatment with blood transfusions.

Childbirth

Canadian Blood Services

There are also multiple reasons why a pregnant person would require a blood transfusion as well, for both emergency and non-emergency situations. Heavy bleeding during the delivery process can cause some patients to feel dizzy or short of breath (among other symptoms) and a transfusion usually takes place during the recovery period if these symptoms persist.

Some patients who are iron deficient may also require a blood transfusion during childbirth. Emergency situations where blood transfusion may be used include miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and hemorrhages during or after birth. 

Sickle Cell

As the most common inherited disease in Canada, Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) requires multiple blood, plasma, platelets, and even stem cell donations for treatment — whether it be a one-time transfusion or multiple. It’s a blood disorder that limits the ability of hemoglobin in red blood cells to carry oxygen, causing sickle cells to stick together and cause painful symptoms.

According to Canadian Blood Services, people living with SCD on average need eight regular red blood cell exchanges every month. Last year, more than 15,000 units of blood were given to people living with SCD in Canada. 

Emergency Procedures

Depending on each individual case, blood transfusions can replace the blood a patient has lost, or the plasma or cells found in the blood. In emergency situations where large amounts of blood have been lost due to external factors like serious injuries, a transfusion will help to replace the blood — this is the same for those who lose blood during surgical procedures.

Sometimes, patients with major burns may also need transfusions to help combat surgical blood loss or decreased red-cell production, especially those with an anemia risk. 

Canadian Blood Services

Now that you know the “why,” the organization is humbly requesting Canadians like you make a blood or plasma donation a part of your summer plans this season.

To learn more about donations, visit the Canadian Blood Services website and book your donation appointment today. Your fellow Canadians will thank you!