Canadian Blood Services seeking donors for upcoming clinic in Shelburne

June 5, 2025 · 0 Comments

Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Canadian Blood Services is calling on community members to help collect much-needed blood donations at an upcoming mobile clinic in Shelburne.

The clinic will be held at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex in Shelburne on June 13, by appointment only, between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

“We come to Shelburne every quarter because we have a really good donor base,” said Courtney Thompson, Community Development Manager for Simcoe, Muskoka, Dufferin, Grey & York. “We have a few open appointments still left in Shelburne, but it has filled up quite quickly.”

According to the Canadian Blood Services, there are fewer than 400,000 people who donate blood, plasma and stem cells to meet the needs of 40 million people in Canada. The Canadian Blood Service report an anticipated increase in demand for blood donations by 10 percent over the next five years with plasma growing about 50 percent.

“This is due to advancement in clinical care needed more frequently and an aging population as well,” said Thompson.

To respond to the expected increase in demand, the Canadian Blood Services has set a recruitment goal of 1 million new donors over the next five years.

To meet this goal, the Canadian Blood Services has launched a new brand campaign called ‘Who’s Saving Who?’, which focuses on the benefits that donating blood, plasma, stem cells, organs and tissue has on the donor.

“It flips the script on how we typically think about the patient and the donor,” explained Thompson. “[Who’s Saving Who?] tells the untold story of what the donor gets when they give. It tells the stories that we don’t often hear about the person who gives and then walks away with a profound feeling and sense of purpose for helping another person.”

Thompson added that they hope the new brand will help motivate a new generation of donors.

“You never know when you’re going to need blood. You never know when a loved one’s going to need blood,” said Thompson. “It could be an accident, during childbirth, someone with cancer; there’s a million reason why someone could need blood. My biggest call to action is do it for you loved ones, do it for yourself and do it for your community.”

Thompson said their goal at the June 13 donor clinic is to collect 77 units of blood through the upcoming clinic, which is equivalent to roughly 100 donors.

Appointments can be booked at www.blood.ca or by calling 1-888-2DONATE.