Blood donors sought

August 27, 2013 · 0 Comments

Sara Ruffalo, 23, donates for her fourth time. From Nobleton. With Sylvia Lawrence and Jennifer Johnson.

By Jeff Doner

The Canadian Blood Services is searching for new donors and is looking to King residents for help.
The Bloodmobile stopped by the Trisan Centre in Schomberg last week, with organizers saying they hope people will start coming out.
“We know there are people up this way that drive to donate, so we are trying to bring it right into the community,” said Canadian Blood Services community development coordinator, Robyn Owen.
“We’re hoping to create a mindset in the community where people make a point to always come out.”
The Bloodmobile will be making quarterly trips to Schomberg, with the next one coming up on Nov. 21 at the Trisan Centre.
For those a little further south, there will also be quarterly stops in Kleinburg at the Cornerstone Community Church, with the next one coming up on Sept. 30 from 3 to 7 p.m.
Owen said there are 20,000 mobile clinics set up across the country each year to make it easier for people to get out and donate.
According to a survey by the Canadian Blood Services, 17 per cent of eligible donors in Canada said they would be willing to donate, but only four per cent actually walk through the door and donate.
With the biggest group of donors being the baby boomers, Owen said getting new donors out is crucial, as the baby boomers age and become recipients instead of donors.
“Because of that, we really need new donors to step up,” she said.
For more information on clinics or how you can become a donor, visit www.blood.ca.