Canadian Blood Services calls on Portage to continue saving lives

Canadian Blood Services has always seen Portage la Prairie as a strong donor base, but they could always use more, especially in the summer.

Brett Lawrence, community development manager with Canadian Blood Services, says they usually see a decline in blood donations throughout summer as people will often travel, making themselves unavailable. He notes that the amount of time it takes to donate blood pales in comparison to what it will be used for.

"If you think about it, a blood donation takes about an hour of your time," explains Lawrence. "For the needle you have about 10 to 15 minutes, so a slight discomfort during that time. For that process, your helping save a life. I feel like that's a huge return on your investment, it makes life saving pretty easy if you ask me."

He adds that you can donate blood multiple times, as he's donated about 15 times. Lawrence says the feeling of changing someone's life for the better doesn't change, even after donating so many times.

"We're in Portage about once a month," says Lawrence. "The next time we're there is August 21st. We're completely booked and appointments are required, but I recommend you check a few days before August 21st to see if there's any openings, as there will probably be some cancellations."

Lawrence notes blood donations will be taking place at Good Shepherd Church.

If you've never donated before, learn if you're eligible to donate by clicking here.

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