More blood donations needed in Sudbury, Canadian Blood Services says

Canadian Blood Services in Sudbury is pushing eligible blood donors to roll up their sleeves and give the gift of life.

Each day, the office on Barry Downe Road aims to collect 48 units of blood. Joanne Drake, the territory manager with Canadian Blood Services in Sudbury says for the past year or so, that daily target has not been met.

Drake says it's unclear why more people aren't donating, but adds less than four per cent of the population donates blood.

"Last year, one in two people were eligible to donate, but only one in 60 did," she said.

"We need to get more participation, especially in Sudbury where day after day we're not meeting our collection target."

Outside of the city, the agency does offer service to communities that don't have a permanent clinic. Drake says those clinics seem to do well.

"In the Sault, we're only there every second month," she said. "Those clinics are very costly however. If we don't reach our target, then our cost per unit goes right through the roof."

Blood that's collected in northern Ontario is sent to Ottawa for testing. From there, it's shipped to hospitals across Canada for use, Drake says.

"A lot of people don't start donating until you need blood yourself or a family member has needed it," she said.

"Let's do it before that happens."