Presently Canadian Blood Services is in need of blood and plasma donations, with thousands of appointments needing to be filled across the country to start the New Year.
Janna Pantella, Manager of the Kelowna Plasma Donor Center says, next week1,500 appointments are available across British Columbia and 300 of those availabilities are in Kelowna.
Sometimes Kelowna might be the leading center for plasma collections in Canada but that’s not happening across the country and the need is across Canada, so what we’re doing here in Kelowna can impact recipients across the country. For example, between now and January 7th, we need 31,000 new donors across Canada, said Pantella.
The need is constant. The need for those who are coping with a trauma or going through cancer treatments or who have an immune disease which doesn’t take a break — so during the holidays the need is just as constant as the rest of the year.
According to Canadian Blood Services, data show that one in every two Canadians will need blood or blood products at some point in their life.
Since 2021, Venessa Thorsen has donated blood and plasma 22 times and managed to convince her parents to join her for her holiday donation, making a way for two new blood donors.
I actually came here for the first time because I had a friend who was in an accident in 2021 and was in critical care, and during his time in critical care he actually received several units of plasma. He didn’t end up making it, unfortunately, but because of that I really saw the value and the necessity firsthand of someone who needed plasma in my life and I thought this is something that I can do, which is not that hard, says Thorsen.
The Center tells Castanet O-Negative donors are always in need as their blood is common, working with all other blood types.
There’s no greater gift which individuals can give, whether it’s over the holidays or any time throughout the year, is by donating, you’re making a difference to someone either in our community or someone across Canada and that has a ripple effect. So, it’s not just that one person, it’s their family, their workplace and their community which benefits by people donating.
Eligibility is always changing. For example, we just had a recent update where individuals who were either born in or living in France, Ireland and UK, Health Canada approved a change so that those donors are now entitled to come in and book an appointment, said Pantella.
