A local petition to bring a blood plasma donation centre to Prince George is picking up steam.
So far, the petition, started by Mark Karjaluoto, has garnered more than 1,700 signatures. A dedicated team of volunteers has been working to raise awareness about the issue.
Plasma donations are urgently needed to produce life-saving medications for individuals with serious conditions such as cancer, kidney disease and immune disorders.
Despite this need, only about 20 per cent of Canada’s plasma supply is donated by Canadians. The remainder is imported, primarily from the United States.
Karjaluoto, a longtime health advocate, spoke with The Citizen about the impact a new centre could have.
“What I’ve heard from the people who sign the petition is that the loss of the donor centre left a pretty big hole here,” he said. “They were used to donating. Some people donate when they travel — I do. Other members of my committee do the same, but it’s not the same as having a local or nearby donor centre.”
Prince George has been without a blood donation centre for a decade, after the previous site closed due to logistical challenges.
“These donations can be life-saving and are desperately needed by those across the North,” Karjaluoto said.
Amy Margison, a plasma recipient from Vanderhoof who also signed the petition, echoed the urgency.
“Blood and plasma products don’t just help people in an acute medical crisis. They help people with chronic and sometimes debilitating conditions as well,” she said. “Plasma products have not only greatly improved my health — they have given me life and allowed me to be the involved parent I wanted to be.”
Due to Prince George’s northern location, whole blood from the former donor centre had to be transported within a week. Plasma, however, can be frozen and stored for longer, making it equally critical but more logistically feasible.
Karjaluoto believes a centre would benefit not only Prince George but the broader Northern Interior region.
“Canadian Blood Services has said that Prince George doesn’t have the population to support a plasma donor centre. I can’t disagree with that,” he said. “What we’re trying to say is, look at all of the Northern Interior and those communities. Together, they likely have the population to support it.
“It’s about the connection people want to have with that blood supply — because they know blood and blood products make a difference for their loved ones.”
Currently, the closest place to donate plasma is Kelowna. The nearest location for whole blood donations is a mobile clinic in Kamloops.
Karjaluoto has been donating since 2020. Giving blood has become a major part of his life — something he’s often unable to do without a local facility.
“My general perspective is if blood donation returned to Prince George, I think I could die happy,” he said. “When I was doing contract work for Canadian Blood Services, I learned that one in two Canadians will need blood at some point, but only one in 16 actually gives.
“We’re not asking for this to get something. We’re asking for this so we can give something — and be part of a national solution.”
Support for the petition has grown over the past year, with endorsements from Prince George city council, Quesnel city council, the Village of Valemount and the District of Mackenzie.
In May, the North Central Local Government Association — representing more than 240 elected officials from 42 local and First Nations governments — passed a resolution backing the proposal for a plasma donor centre.
Karjaluoto plans to continue pushing for a donor centre and showcasing the vital work Canadian Blood Services performs across the country.
“We’re not doing this to be critical of Canadian Blood Services,” he said. “We’re doing this to help them. I hope they’ll see that, and while it may take time, we believe a centre in northern B.C. could work — and it would benefit the region and Canadians as a whole.
“We have an opportunity to build something terrific here.”
To sign the petition, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSei8R3G3eD1txgr-xZJ0Psa7G28pjsUlYDxZzobYlx-cUv3JA/viewform
To volunteer or get involved, contact [email protected].
