I would like to thank the dedicated blood donors and volunteers of Guelph who have attended and volunteered at local clinics so far this year.
The need for blood is always ongoing. Two years ago, when I was 17, I was rushed to hospital for a major gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Before the ordeal was over, I received 19 units of blood. In my lifetime, due to chronic health problems, I’ve received between 70 and 100 units of blood.
While there is a continuous need for all blood types, there is currently a greater need for blood donors with O-negative blood. If a hospital patient requires a blood transfusion in an emergency situation, and if there is no time to determine the patient’s blood type, O-negative blood can be used.
University students may not feel that we have time to donate blood, but it only takes an hour of your time to save up to three lives.
There’s a Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic on campus Oct. 26. If you haven’t given blood, ask yourself “Why not?” Please book an appointment today. And thank you for helping save lives.
Steven McLean, Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Science
Note: Canadian Blood Services will hold blood donor clinics in Peter Clark Hall (basement of the University Centre) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on these dates: Oct. 26, Nov. 30, Feb. 3 and March 31. To book an appointment, call 1-888-236-6283. For more information, visit www.blood.ca.