'You are needed': Canadian Blood Services calls for donations in Winnipeg

Canadian Blood Services is putting out a call for blood donations this weekend, and asking those who have already booked appointments to keep them.

Associate director for donor relations Gayle Voyer said there is an urgent need for several different blood types at the donation centre's William Avenue location.

"Going into this weekend, we saw concerning levels of a variety of types of blood, and so right now we are actually calling out for A negative, B negative, O negative, as well as O positive and A positive blood types." said Voyer.

Summer is typically a slow time for blood donations, as many people are changing their routine and going on vacation. But this year Voyer says Canadian Blood Services has seen a higher amount of cancellations and no-shows than usual.

She said it's important to keep Winnipeg's blood supply levels high. "There are hospital patients in need at any given time on any given day right here in our community," said Voyer. "So it's not a matter of if your donation is needed, it will be needed for a patient."

A recent Ipsos-Reid survey found that 55 percent of Canadians hadn't donated blood recently because they hadn't been asked.

"So that’s what I'm doing here today is asking donors to book. You are needed," Voyer said.

Blood donors must be 17 or older and pass an eligibility quiz at blood.ca. They must bring a current, government-issued photo ID with them to the appointment. Voyer said there are still nearly 500 open appointments this month.

Those who have already booked should prepare for their blood donor appointment ahead of time.

"Making sure you're well hydrated, couple of litres of water the day of and the day before your appointment," said Voyer. "Making sure you’ve had something to eat prior to your donation, and that you're feeling well on the day of your donation."

Voyer also suggests that first-time blood donors bring a friend or family member with them.

"If you're new to donating and you haven’t donated before it's always much better to do something for the first time with a friend," she said.

The entire donation process takes about an hour. Men can donate blood every 56 days, while woman can donate every 84 days.

"Really, it's an hour of your time, three or four times a year," said Voyer.

More information can be found online, or on the GiveBlood app.