With Windsor's blood donation centre set to close this week, one donor says he's surprised

As Canadian Blood Services prepares to close its Windsor, Ont., donation centre this week, the move is catching one regular donor off-guard — even as the agency says it will open a plasma donation centre here next year. 

Jeff Baltzer said he is "religious" about donating every time he is eligible, every 56 days. Baltzer has O-negative blood — making him a universal donor and his blood sought after for patients in emergencies, when medical personnel don't have the time to test for a precise blood match.

At a recent donation appointment on July 10, Baltzer said he received the alarming news that Windsor's donor centre will be closing. 

"I was told that this is my last time donating here," Baltzer said. "I thought that was an unusual way to start the conversation. But apparently the blood donor clinic here in Windsor is being closed."

A spokesperson for Canadian Blood Services (CBS) confirmed Windsor's donor centre is due to close July 28. 

Baltzer said it was news to him, and said staff told about the organization's plans to open a plasma donation clinic. 

"I don't know anything about plasma. I've never donated plasma, never been asked to donate plasma," Baltzer said.

"All I know is that I'm an O-negative and they always need my blood. In fact, I get some messages and emails from Canadian Blood Service saying 'remember we need your blood, we've got 31,000 less regular donors than we used to have.'

"But they're closing the clinic."

Canadian Blood Services has previously said that it would close Windsor's whole blood donation clinic before opening a plasma donation centre this fall and that the closure would not affect the local availability of blood. 

Reached by CBC News, a spokesperson said the plasma donation centre is due to open at the Roundhouse Centre in winter 2024. 

"We will also hold local mobile donation events for O-negative and rare blood donors to help meet the unique needs of patients across the country," Adrienne Alexander said in a statement.

She said the first is scheduled for Oct. 17 at the Ciociaro Club, and other mobile events will follow.

Canada has 15 per cent of needed plasma supply: CBS

Plasma is the component in blood that carries nutrients, hormones and proteins throughout the body, and makes up about 55 per cent of your blood volume, and is rich in proteins. 

Plasma is used in treatments including immunoglobulin, the most widely used substance made from plasma. Right now plasma donations only meet about 15 per cent of what is needed for Canadian patients, Canadian Blood Services notes.

As part of a bid to boost supply, the agency notes it would open 11 more plasma donation centre, including the one planned for Windsor. 

When donors donate plasma, the process takes longer — between one and two hours, according to Health Canada — because blood is returned to the donor's body after the plasma is screened out. 

Baltzer said staff at the donation centre tried to make him an appointment at one of the mobile clinics that will be coming to Windsor, only to find they were booked up. 

"So I don't have anywhere to donate blood for the foreseeable future," he said. "It just doesn't seem like the right answer to me."

Alexander said more information about donation opportunities and the plasma donor centre will be shared as details are confirmed. The agency also encourages people to register as a stem cell or organ and tissue donor online at blood.ca.