Edmontonians among top blood donors, new centre aims to further improve numbers

The new Canadian Blood Services centre celebrated its grand opening in south Edmonton on Thursday, offering donors a more convenient experience.

Edmonton is vying to be the top contender in Canada in blood donations and officials say a new centre could help.

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Canadian Blood Services (CBS) held a grand opening for its new centre on 106 Street and 42 Avenue on Thursday.

Dr. Graham Sher, CBS CEO, said the new centre is one of Canada’s largest and offers an improved experience for staff and donors, which is critical in keeping repeat donors.

“Donors tell us consistently that one of the most important things they want in order to keep coming back is time and convenience,” he said, adding the new centre is more spacious, efficient and easier to park at.

There are 42 collection centres across Canada, but not all do what the Edmonton centre does in collecting plasma and platelets as well. Plasma, the liquid part of blood, is in particularly high demand, Sher said.

“Because from plasma, we can make many, many important drugs – life-saving drugs,” he said. “And the demand for these plasma-derived drugs is growing enormously.”

Jacob Guziak was born with an immune disorder known as bubble-boy disorder. He has relied on monthly treatments with plasma products since he was a baby.

“Donors are very important, because they are the ones giving us these antibodies that Jacob cannot create yet,” said his mother Andrea Fernandez. “In reality, every donor is giving us another birthday, another smile, another day.”

Sher said it can take thousands of plasma donors to make the treatment Guziak needs each month. He hopes the improved experience at the Edmonton centre will help the city continue to be a top collector.

“We would love Edmonton to keep performing the way it is, and if it became the top performer in the country, that would be amazing,” he added.

The new centre opened for donations in late April. You can check your eligibility to donate blood or book an appointment on the CBS website.