By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

Help Canadian Blood Services have a ‘Life Saving Summer’

Jul 27, 2018 | 1:30 PM

LETHBRIDGE —  We may be into the dog days of summer but, there is no rest for those who work for Canadian Blood Services.  They are concentrating on a “Life Saving Summer” and need your help.
 
More specifically, they need your blood!
 
Territory Manager for Canadian Blood Services, Belinda Tomiyama, says they need to fill more than a thousand donor appointments in the next five weeks.
 
“We still have more than 866 open appointments for the month of August, and next week, July 31 to August 4, there are still 177 open appointments that need to be filled.”
 
Tomiyama concedes summer is a slower time for Blood donations as people are coming and going on holidays and providing a blood donation probably the last thing on the ‘to do’ list.  However, she reminds everyone that there are still patients in the hospital who require blood transfusions and you never know when you may be one of them.
 
Country 95-5 morning man, Brent Brooks, shares his own story.
 
 “I went from a 50-time donor to blood-product recipient when I had my (cancer) surgery last fall, so I kinda know the importance of the system from both sides.”
 
Tomiyama says 52-per cent of Canadians will need to take advantage of the blood bank during their lifetime but, less than four per cent of the population donates. 
 
 “We need more people to start donating.”
 
It’s easy to set up an appointment to make a donation. You can download the Ap “Give Blood” or you can call 1-888-2-donate (1-888-236-6283), or do it on-line at  blood.ca