Blood donations needed to maintain supply, especially for cancer patients

Between fewer clinics and even fewer donors, Canadian Blood Services is hoping people who have never donated blood before consider coming in over the holidays, especially to help cancer patients.

Blood donations typically drop over the holidays, but this year there are more than 100 vacancies for donations in the Halifax area alone.

Peter MacDonald, director of donor relations, says the weather has worked in their favour, because all the clinics have remained open. That's given the blood bank a decent supply heading into the holidays.

But maintaining the supply is critical.

"What a lot of people don't realize is that blood is perishable," MacDonald said.

Blood donations are divided into three parts:

• Platelets, which only have a five-day shelf life. 
• Red cells, which can last for 42 days.
• Plasma, which can be frozen for up to a year.

"Platelets are a critical component of cancer treatment, and ... one patient undergoing cancer treatment for leukemia, for example, can use up the blood of eight donors in one week."

Last year was a record-breaking year for the cancellation of blood clinics because of constant winter storms. MacDonald says the possibility of bad weather is never far from their minds.

"Getting that inventory ramped up heading into the winter period — not only Christmas — where we're at risk of losing some events to storms is important."

MacDonald is encouraging those who are able and have never donated before to make that their new year's resolution.