Here's a PSA from Canadian Blood Services...

December 21th, 2012 (Peterborough) — As we approach the Christmas holiday and turn the page on another year, Canadian Blood Services is asking eligible Canadians to “GIVE A HOLIDAY MIRACLE” by donating blood during the days around Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Collecting blood during the holiday season is a challenge, as many donors go away or are busy with other activities. Yet many patients will spend their holiday receiving cancer treatment or undergoing life-saving surgery and emergency care. During the weeks of December 24 and December 31, Canadian Blood Services estimates a need of 25,000 units of blood to give holiday miracles to hospital patients across Canada.

In order to meet this blood collection goal, we still need 3,000 more Canadians to book appointments and donate blood between now and the end of the year. In Peterborough, we need 206 donors to donate blood in order to help meet this goal.

“We’d like to thank Canadians who took the time to donate blood so far this holiday season, but we need that generosity to continue through the end of the year,” says Sue Harris, Community Development Coordinator. “As the year draws to an end, do something that embodies the spirit and generosity of the season—give blood. It costs you nothing, and it’ll give someone a holiday miracle.”

There are plenty of opportunities to donate blood this holiday season.

Peterborough Blood Donor Clinic
55 George St. N.

Open

Saturday Dec 22^nd 8am – 12noon

Monday Dec 24^th 10am – 2pm

Thursday Dec 27^th 3pm – 7pm

Friday Dec 28^th 8am – 12noon

Platelets, which are derived from blood donations, are of particular concern around the holiday season. Because platelets only have a shelf life of five days, it is not possible to “stock up” ahead of time. Patients with diseases such as cancer need large quantities of platelets as part of their treatment. It is critical that our clinics are full of “miracle workers” over the holidays to meet the need for platelets.

Please visit us online at Blood.ca or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) to book an appointment to donate today. To help meet the continuing need for blood, donors who have an appointment in the coming weeks are urged to honour it.

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