Brandon blood clinics filled as national inventory drops

Brandon blood donation clinics are fully booked through September, even as Canadian Blood Services warns the country’s blood inventory has dropped by nearly 20 per cent since June 1.

Upcoming Brandon clinics are scheduled for Aug. 6 and Aug. 20 at the Victoria Inn Imperial Ballroom, and Sept. 3 and Sept. 17 at the Keystone Centre, with all clinics running from 2-7 p.m.

Community development manager Brett Lawrence said he does not have the blood inventory for the city and Westman, but Brandon has remained one of the strongest donation sites in Manitoba during the summer slowdown.

“We come to Brandon about twice a month, and we collect about 100 units of blood each time, so about 200 units of blood are being collected in Brandon monthly,” Lawrence told the Sun on Thursday.

The fact that the four clinics scheduled between Aug. 6 and Sept. 17 are already fully booked “just shows how committed people in Brandon are to supporting patients in need,” he said.

The blood collected in Brandon does not necessarily remain in Brandon.

Lawrence said that Canadian Blood Services operates as a national network across all provinces except Quebec, allowing blood to be moved where demand is greatest.

“The blood that we’re collecting in Westman and Brandon is obviously serving hospitals in the area, but depending on where demand is, it can also go to other parts of Manitoba or other parts of the country,” he said.

Lawrence said people who already have appointments should keep them, while those without appointments should monitor for cancellations and future openings.

“Walk-ins are never a guarantee,” he said. “It’s always best to book ahead to ensure you can be taken in.”

He encouraged community organizations, businesses, faith groups and families to participate through the Partners for Life program, which allows teams to track donations and reserve appointments together.

Canadian Blood Services says it needs about 18,000 booked blood donation appointments every week across Canada to keep pace with hospital demand. Over the past six weeks, appointments have fallen short by 1,500 to 2,500 each week, forcing the organization to draw down existing inventory to meet patient needs.

The current decline has left limited days on hand for several blood types.

“We’ve seen the blood supply decline by about 20 per cent in just a matter of weeks, and we need more donors to come forward now to reverse this decline,” Ron Vezina, vice-president of donor engagement and corporate reputation for Canadian Blood Services, said in a statement.

Lawrence said the immediate concern is not a shortage today, but what could happen if the trend continues through the summer.

“In Westman, in Manitoba, in the country, really, at the end of the day, we have blood in the hospitals on the shelves there because folks are donating it,” he said. “If this trend continues of folks not showing up or not booking appointments, that’s when it gets troubling for patients in need.”

Eligible donors can book appointments at blood.ca , through the GiveBlood app or by calling 1-888-2-DONATE.

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