Lack of pop-up satellite blood donation clinics irk long-time donor
A London man says lack of different locations makes it more difficult to donate blood
A London blood donor says he's disappointed Canadian Blood Services no longer has satellite or pop-up clinics as it did before the pandemic. Instead most people who want to give must go to a main office in south London.
"It's an easy and painless process but some people, like me, don't have access to a car, and getting places by bus in the city can be tough," said Brennen Willert, who has donated blood for years after receiving a transfusion during a surgery.
A resident of downtown, Willert used to go to a satellite office that Canadian Blood Services had set up in CitiPlaza. Now, the only place to donate is the main location on Wharncliffe Road, near Southdale Road.
"When COVID hit, they stopped doing satellite donation drives and now when I called and asked them, they said they don't have any intention of bringing them back, and the reason is cost," Willert said.
Willert's journey to blood donation started at a pop-up clinic when he was in high school. Then, he had surgery and needed blood.
"When I first started donating, I thought of it as kind of my obligation, because I'd taken some blood from the bank and it was my responsibility to put some back in," he said.
Canadian Blood Services holds mobile blood donation clinics at Fanshawe College and Western University, said spokesperson Agnese Caruso.
Asked about the lack of regular pop-up clinics such as the one at CitiPlaza, and others held at high schools, community clubs and workplaces, Caruso said: "We regularly review our collections plans, and sometimes changes are made due to operational factors, including logistics and the availability of locations for mobile events. We don't have anything more to add."
The main clinic is open six days a week and there is a free shuttle service available for people who want to donate as a group. Mobile donation events are also held in Dorchester, St. Thomas, Ilderton, Aylmer and Strathroy, Caruso said.
A return to pop-ups in different parts of the city would be ideal for those who donate often and see the simplicity and benefit of doing so, Willert said.
"I used to be able to just walk across the street and donate and it was super, super convenient, and now with just the one location, it's tougher to get to," he said.
"They used to come to high schools and workplaces and now all of that has stopped and it doesn't sound like it's going to be starting up again. I've donated many, many times, and I'd love to continue donating, but they should be making an effort to make it easier to do so."
Caruso declined to be interviewed for this article or to connect a reporter to speak to someone about the changes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
