Why blood donors are rallying Londoners to join them amid high demand

Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is asking Londoners to consider being extra generous this winter, as the need for donations rises and the number of people donating struggles to keep up with demand.

They hope to accomplish that through a holiday season campaign called Let's Get Canada's Blood Pumping, in which CBS partners with locals to raise awareness — and interest — in donating blood and plasma.

"Right now, on average across the country, there are about 230 donors a day," said Marisa Gatfield, a community development manager for CBS. "To meet the growing need for blood and plasma, we need to double that number to 450 per day."

According to Gatfield, there are a number of factors that contribute to the importance of getting more people involved in donating blood.

"The demand is increasing more due to surgeries and treatments, as well as a growing and aging population. Although one in two Canadians are eligible to donate, only one in 76 actually does," she said.

London is home to one of 40 permanent donor centres CBS runs across the country. The location at 820 Wharncliffe Rd. S. is open Monday to Saturday.

"If you look at the total of 450 new donors, that's just over 11 new donors per centre, and that's exactly what we require in the London area," Gatfield said.

It restores the part of you that knows that people are genuinely good.- Kathleen Zavarise

Efforts underway across community

Kathleen Zavarise is alive today because of the hundreds of blood transfusions she received while waiting for a liver and kidney transplant last year.

"I find it very important to give back any way I can," said the donor and provincial director of the Canadian Transplant Association.

That's why Zavarise has spent so much of the past year organizing group donations and working with CBS to promote their campaigns.

"It's my way of saying thank you to so many people that saved my life. Saying thank you doesn't seem to be enough, so I do what I can to to pay for it," said Zavarise, who runs a donation group called Keep it Pumping with that goal in mind.

Keep it Pumping works with CBS through its Partner for Life program, which invites organizations to join a push to raise awareness for blood donations and recruit new donors. 

While she lives in Hamilton and does much of her work there, Keep it Pumping has a group donation planned in London for Friday, Zavarise said.

She said the response she's gotten from people in both cities has been overwhelming, but it's not always easy to convince people to donate.

"It restores the part of you that knows that people are genuinely good, and there are people doing the things they're doing for complete strangers."

Western student, hockey player does her part

Emma Campbell is a Western University student who champions Partners for Life as part of Western's women's hockey team. 

She's donated seven times and said her inspiration to donate came from her parents, and hearing of the life-saving impact donated blood had on her hockey coach's infant son.

Campbell said it's sometimes tough to get people to roll up their sleeves, but once they understand the simplicity of the process, they often wonder why they were reluctant.

"I had a lot of people say to me after the process, 'You know, that was a lot more simple than we thought it would be.' It's just kind of dipping your toe in and realizing it's a very easy way to make it a big impact on someone's life," Campbell said.

Campbell said the difference one makes by donating blood isn't always immediately visible, but it is certainly real.

"Just the fact that about half of all people in Canada will need blood, or know someone who will, that statistic really stuck with me"

She encourages anyone who can to channel the spirit of giving this holiday, and visit London's blood donation centre.