Quebec blood agency urges black community to donate blood

A bag of blood is shown at a clinic in Montreal on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. (Ryan Remiorz / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Hema-Quebec is using Black History Month to urge more black Quebecers to donate blood, saying the race is under-represented in the province’s blood bank.

Hema-Quebec, which manages the blood supply in Quebec, says people in need of blood are more likely to find a compatible blood type among their own racial group. It also notes that sickle-cell anemia affects black people more than those from other races and the blood disease often requires patients to undergo multiple blood transfusions.

The provincial blood agency says there has been a tremendous increase in the number of black donors in the past five years, going from just 200 donors to 4,050. But it says the need is still great.

Naderge Ceneston, the Development of Cultural Communities Advisor at Héma-Québec, says the agency strives to provide blood products to meet the specific needs of patients in all regions.

“It can only attain its objectives with the participation of all the communities, including the black communities, in which the number of patients with specific transfusion needs has almost doubled since the start of the recruiting program,” she said in a statement.

A special blood drive has been organized by the Table ronde du Mois de l’histoire des Noirs (Roundtable for Black History Month) for Feb. 20.

“For their brothers, their cousins, their neighbors, the donors from all horizons are invited to demonstrate their solidarity by giving blood,” the agency urged in a statement.