Canadian Blood Services is asking Canadians to check if they can donate blood as the distribution of blood to hospitals is outpacing the number of donations being made.
While the organization is so grateful to the blood, platelet and plasma donors who supported Canada’s Lifeline over the summer, the impacts of severe weather and wildfires mean they need many more people to book now to help meet patients’ needs.
As people get back into their fall routines, it’s a great time to double-check their eligibility to donate. Even if they thought they could never donate again, they may be able to resume because of updates to the donation criteria. Donor eligibility criteria undergo frequent revisions, resulting in changes based on current scientific evidence. As a result, thousands more may now be eligible to donate blood.
Remember, if anyone has questions or isn’t sure about their eligibility, they can call to speak with a trained health professional at 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
All donor eligibility information in this article is current as of the date of publication. The very latest information is always available on Canadian Blood Services’ ABCs of eligibility page.