It’s National Blood Donor Week and Canadian Blood Services is encouraging people to consider making an appointment.
David Patterson is the Director of Donor Relations for BC and the Yukon.
He says demand is down slightly at Canadian hospitals, but that doesn’t mean the need for blood is going away.
Patterson says there’s an age limit for donating blood, and other donors are sometimes “deferred” because of things like recent tattoos, dental work or trips abroad.
The agency also continues to have a policy prohibiting men who’ve had sex with other men in the past 5 years from donation. See their explanation for that policy here.
He says about 5000 units of blood are typically donated in Nanaimo each year. There is no regular donor clinic on the Sunshine Coast
