Canadian Blood Services is asking for more people to donate blood this summer.
According to Canadian Blood Services, despite the donor base growing in the last year, it is not growing at a pace that is keeping up with the rising patient need. 1 in 2 Canadians are eligible to give blood, yet only 1 in 76 actually does. Only about 80 per cent of the available appointments are booked each week.
New donors of all blood types are needed but it is particularly vital that people with group O blood donate as soon as they can. As the universal blood type that can be given to any patient, O-negative donations are critically important in emergency care.
Canadian Blood Services is hosting another donation event in Owen Sound on August 28 at the Owen Sound Legion from 1-7 p.m.
You can book an appointment now by downloading the GiveBlood app, calling 1-888-2-DONATE or booking at blood.ca.