Canadian Blood Services sounds alarm with national inventory down 25 per cent
Canadian Blood Services is pleading for eligible donors to step up as the national inventory has dropped significantly.
According to the organization, reserves have declined by 25 per cent since the beginning of April.
It says cancellations and low attendance at donor centres across the country has left it scrambling to collect blood, platelets and plasma.
"We've seen that 10 per cent increase in cancellations and missed appointments since March," said , Gayle Voyer, Canadian Blood Services associate director of donor relations for B.C. and Yukon.
"We think it comes down to maybe people not feeling well, maybe people travelling a bit more.
Voyer says they usually see a drop off in donors during the summer, which makes spring a crucial time.
"That does raise a concern because typically were building up our inventory for the demand of hospital patients as we go into the summer when we do see people get out of their routines. So, it's earlier than were expecting," said Voyer.
CBS says that one out of every two Canadians are eligible to donate blood, but only one out of every 82 does.
'BLOOD IS LIKE A CARTON OF MILK, IT ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED'
The organization will be seeking out more donors like 27 year-old Max Proske, who tells CTV News he's now donated over 100 times.
"Every minute of every day there's someone who needs blood whether it's a leukemia patient or a trauma patient or an emergency," Proske said.
Proske said he began by giving blood as an 18-year-old but has since transitioned into giving platelets, the smallest of blood cells which are often used to treat cancer patients.
"I was inspired by my dad who is a lifelong donor and a cancer survivor," Proske said.
"We're a family of donors."
Proske would like to see his fellow Canadians step up and donate during this crucial period.
"Blood is like a carton of milk, it always needs to be replaced, if you're eligible, please book," he said.
To find out if you're eligible, you can visit the CBS website and take an online quiz.
If eligible, potential donors can book on the website or call 1-888-236 6283.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.