It’s a cause that’s close to the heart for Watrous resident Ron Ediger. After Canadian Blood Services stopped holding mobile blood donation clinics in Watrous years ago, Ediger began pushing to bring them back. He knows firsthand how important blood donations can be after his son needed a transfusion. Now, he said it’s become harder for people in the area to donate, with the nearest mobile clinics about an hour away. “We have a lot of people that have given over the years, and a lot of them are elderly folks that don’t want to be driving,” he said. “In that same token, we are the hub of the area here where a lot of the small towns around would come here instead of having to drive an hour away.” He’s been in contact with Canadian Blood Services about returning clinics to the community, but said he hasn’t made any headway. “We’ve talked to a lot of different people, and we get the same answer, it’s just not possible,” he said. Ediger has passed out flyers in the community asking residents if they’d like to see blood donation clinics return. He said more than 150 people have shown their support. Local leaders also supported bringing blood donation clinics back to the area. “There’s a huge need for additional supply of blood, and if it can help save lives, we want to be part of that,” said John Gunderson, mayor of Watrous. “I’m sure if it would come back, we’d all donate again, but it’s just hard to go to the city, do your shopping, donate and drive back,” said Scott Murray, councillor for Manitou Beach, a nearby community. In a statement, Canadian Blood Services said while it can’t collect donations in every community, Canada has a national blood system, with donations shared across the country to help patients where the need is greatest. “Decisions about the locations of mobile donation events and permanent centres are assessed nationally and take into consideration a range of factors. These include the number of units collected, labour and transportation costs, proximity and access to the nearest production site, and the need to operate an efficient and sustainable blood system,” the statement read. Ediger said he’ll keep working to bring a mobile clinic back to Watrous. “It’s important that we make it work and not just let it go by the wayside,” he said.
