A local woman is looking to Sarnia residents to donate blood, platelets, and plasma.
Sarnia native Emily Crowe is participating in the program Assignment Saving Lives: Canadian Blood Services, which encourages people to donate.
According to Crowe, there is an urgent need for more donors right across the country to assist with a number of injuries and illnesses.
"Quite literally any injury that involves somebody losing blood, a blood donation will save their life," Crowe said. "Blood donation is a super critical part of our community (and) across Canada because every donation makes a difference on someone living another day."
As of August 23, there have been 107 donations through Crowe.
She said there will be two upcoming blood drives, one at the Four Points by Sheraton in Point Edward on August 31, and at the Dante Club on September 4.
Crowe said the blood will stay in the community.
"Because we're in Sarnia it could just go directly in Sarnia since it is the closest hospital upon your donation," she said.
Additionally, Canadian Blood Services is also looking for stem cell donors.
According to Crowe, it can be difficult to find a match if you are in need of stem cells.
Currently, she is the Club President for the Canadian Blood Services at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa.
Crowe said her program inspired her to be more involved with blood donation.
"It's been really eye-opening because during my program I've learned so much about the importance of blood donation and all of the different ways people can donate blood and how it can be used," she said.
Anyone interested in joining Crowe's team can do so through the Canadian Blood Services website.
She said this program is also a competition between other post secondary students, and the one with the most donors gets a tuition scholarship.