While Canadian Blood Services is appealing for donations across the country as the national blood supply is being depleted, residents in northern B.C. are unable to donate.
The organization is short of its expected blood and plasma donations at this time of year because of severe winter weather events occurring across the country.
Canadian Blood Services said between appointment cancellations and disruptions to planned collection clinics, about 1,500 blood and plasma donations did not happen — amounting to around 10 per cent of what was expected.
It also lost around 31,000 regular donors since the beginning of the pandemic and since October the national blood supply has declined by over 35 per cent.
The donor base is now the smallest it has been in a decade, and while patients' needs are being met, the agency warned, "this is not sustainable."
However, residents in northern B.C. have not been able to easily donate blood since 2015 when the Canadian Blood Services permanently closed its only donor centre in the region.
Prince George residents now have to travel hundreds of kilometres to donation centres in the Okanagan or the Lower Mainland if they wish to contribute.
“It is difficult for us knowing there are people in Prince George, BC. who may want to donate blood but because of distance to the nearest collection centre are unable to do so,” said Canadian Blood Services in a statement to the Prince George Citizen.
Canadian Blood Services occasionally runs blood collection events with mobile clinics in Kamloops, Salmon Arm and Penticton but none across northern B.C.
The non-profit said decisions around where it holds donation events are assessed on a national basis and based on many factors including the number of units collected, labour and transportation costs, the distance and access to the nearest production site, and the need to operate an efficient blood system.
“Ultimately, logistical challenges mean we must focus on collecting blood in more densely populated areas. Holding a donation event in a more remote location could impact our ability to ship the blood quickly to our manufacturing sites,” said the organization.
There is currently a critical need for platelets for patients undergoing cancer treatments, and universal O-negative blood donors are especially needed for newborns and emergencies.
As winter drags on, poor weather can keep people from appointments and lead to more vehicle crashes and other trauma events, the agency said, increasing the demand for blood.
“Although we don’t have collection events scheduled in Prince George there are no impacts to how hospitals in the area will receive blood and blood products. Our national blood system ensures patients in your community will continue to receive the blood products they need at their local hospital when they need them.”
The only way for northern B.C. residents to support the organization, without travelling elsewhere to a donation clinic, is through the Canadian Blood Services Give 3 in 2023 campaign.
The non-profit is asking for support through the campaign which encourages the public to support Canadian Blood Services through a variety of ways not limited to blood and plasma donations but can include social media posts and financial contributions.
“Every donation causes a ripple effect that goes on to have a lasting impact in the lives of others. A donation of any type doesn’t just make a difference, it makes all the difference.”
- with files from Cindy Tran, The Canadian Press
