Donors Needed for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Wednesday, 2 September 2015 12:14

Canadian Blood services is running low after a slow summer.

OXFORD COUNTY - Canadian Blood Services is calling on all residents of Oxford County to come forward and donate in honour of children fighting cancer.

Director of Donor Relations Michael Betel says they will be working hard this month to fill their dwindling reserves. "In September we have a very special and important event that takes place every year and it's called Childhood Cancer Awareness month and it's a chance for Canadians to honour children who have had cancer and passed away as well as childhood cancer survivors. We always need blood of all types; the O+ and O- are really critical."

Betel says blood donors play a major part in helping kids fight cancer. "We need about 17 000 units a week to be able to supply enough blood for anything from car accidents to where someone might need something like 50 units of blood to even more commonly where patients need - for example cancer treatments 5 donors or actually 8 donors a week for leukemia patients. It's a very important need that we have."

There is a clinic coming up tomorrow, and the hope is that many people will come out and give the gift of life. "Well Woodstock has always been supportive of us and it has been a quiet summer for us," says Betel. "There's nothing in the world like knowing that you saved a life. It doesn't take a lot of time - on average it's less than an hour - and it feels fantastic to know that you've actually made a difference in someone's life and we definitely need help and we'd love to have you come out."

Clinics around Oxford County of the month of September:

WOODSTOCK - Thursday September 3rd, 1 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. @ Goff Hall
WOODSTOCK - Saturday September 19th, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Maranatha Church
NORWICH - Monday September 21st, 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. @ Norwich Community Centre
INGERSOLL - Thursday September 24th, 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. @ Unifor Local 88

You can always find more information at blood.ca or call 1 888 - 2 - DONATE