March 11th, 2016

Next Blood Donor Clinic April 25

The New Dundee Optimist Club is off to a great start. We’ve pledged to collect 40 units of blood this year and so far 10 people have donated.

Blood donation is critical to help the many adults and children requiring surgery, treatment for cancer or other illnesses. By donating blood, you are truly giving the Gift of Life.

More than 100,000 new donors are needed in Canada to match demand. Only four per cent of those eligible to give blood are donors and with an aging population there is a need for more donors.

New donors are also critical to help offset the number of donors who are unable to donate due to seasonal travel, says Tara Gutscher, Territory Manager at the KW Blood Donor Clinic in Waterloo. Donors travelling to malaria risk countries require a 12-month deferral. In addition, in response to the Zika virus threat, Canadian Blood Services has implemented a 21-day wait period before donating blood, following travel outside of Canada, the continental US and Europe.

“We anticipate the combination of these two facts will impact the number of donors eligible to give blood,” says Gutscher. If you are planning to travel to an area with a risk of malaria or Zika virus, donate before you go, suggests Gutscher.

Our club’s Partners for Life tracking number, NEWD360457, is not limited to club members. Anyone, anywhere in Canada (other than Quebec), may use the number so please encourage family, friends and neighbours to use it when donating.

If you can spare an hour, come out to the next clinic Monday April 25 at Steinmann Mennonite Church in Baden from 2:00 – 8:00 pm. There is also a permanent clinic in Waterloo (at Bridgeport and Weber) that is open six days a week.

To make an appointment or to find out about your eligibility, call 1 888 2-DONATE (1 888 236-6283) or go to www.blood.ca. Walk-ins are also accepted at clinics.