Changes around when women can donate blood have meant fewer donations this year.
In December 2016, Canadian Blood Services changed how long women have to wait before making donations.
Peter MacDonald with Canadian Blood Services says change was made to improve safety for female donors but that has led to a seven percent drop in donations.
“The manners in which we store iron, and also around menstruation, pregnancy, there’s some differences in the physiology between men and women when it’s related to hemoglobin levels.”
While men can roll up their sleeves every 56 days, women must wait 84.
MacDonald says they looking to recruit some new blood.
“The healthiest way to operate the blood system would be to have a broad base of donors and be less reliant on frequency. Unfortunately for us, one in two Canadians are eligible to give blood.”
Several blood donor clinics are being held across the South Shore.
April 24 – Liverpool at the Liverpool Fire Hall
April 25 – Bridgewater at the NSCC Lunenburg Campus
May 8 – Yarmouth NSCC Burridge Campus
Follow this link to book a donation time or to find the nearest location to your area.
