Blood is a liquid tissue pumped through the body by the heart. It delivers oxygen, minerals, hormones, nutrients and other important material to the organs, and helps clear the body of waste.
Demand for Blood increases every year by 2%, about 17,000 more donations are needed each year.
About 50% of Canadians are eligible to donate blood, but only 2% donate.
Baby Boomers are loyal to donating blood on a regular basis while younger generations aren’t.
different components of blood help people in different situations. Red blood cells are used in emergencies, during surgery and to help people having cancer treatment. Platelets are used to treat people with bleeding disorders and cancer patients. Plasma is used to treat people undergoing extensive surgery, trauma patients, and patients with liver failure.
The screening process consists of determining the blood type of the donated unit, testing for red cell antibodies, and performing infectious disease screening .