NEWS RELEASE
CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES
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As Canadians prepare to celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, Canadian Blood Services is encouraging residents of Barrie to keep patients in need of blood products in mind.
Hospital patients are grateful for Canadians who take the time to donate blood, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations often decrease during long weekends. Travel and family activities make it challenging for people to find time to donate but the demand for blood never stops. Blood donations before and during Thanksgiving will help ensure that ongoing patient needs are met.
Two local groups are planning to do their part and they encourage others to join them. Barrie’s Ribbons of Hope, a local Dragonboat team, comprised of breast cancer survivors, has a lot to be thankful for and will be rolling up a collective sleeve on Oct. 6 at the Barrie donor centre.
Additionally, members of Barrie Police Service are no strangers to donating blood. They have often stepped up to fill beds around holiday weekends and they will also be donating as a team on Oct. 6.
The Barrie donor centre, located at 231 Bayview Dr., has many open appointments to fill and the centre is open:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Donors who make an appointment are encouraged to keep it as missed or cancelled appointments are difficult to fill. If you’re unable to make it to your appointment, please cancel it so someone else can take your place and consider re-booking in coming months.
In compliance with the Public Health Agency of Canada’s direction to enable physical distancing, at this time, we can only welcome people with appointments.
If you’re in general good health, please book and honour your appointment to help patients. Download the GiveBlood app and join Canada’s Lifeline. Please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) or book now at blood.ca.
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