Lifeline, UTM’s Blood and Stem Cell Society, collected blood from over 60 students during its biannual blood donor clinics on February 12 and February 13 in the Student Centre.
Tamara Troup-Goldson, Lifeline’s co-president, said that the turnout of 66 donors was high and that they collected 53 units of blood.
Students made appointments or dropped in during walk-in timeslots to donate blood.
Rachel Novoselac, a second-year student and a first-time donor, said that she decided to donate because she realized that “people in hospitals need blood and that [these clinics] are convenient and free”.
Novoselac recommends others donate blood in an effort to help those in need. “I would do it again,” she said.
The clinics help address the increasing demand for blood units in the face of decreasing supply.
“There is an urgent need for blood in the GTA community as many of the donors have aged, and unfortunately, the deferral rates are also extremely high among students our age,” stated Troup-Goldson.
Blood donor clinic information booths were held one week prior to the blood clinics to pre-register interested donors and set appointments.
Lifeline hosts blood donor clinics each semester to collect blood donations and to raise awareness of their importance. The clinics were held in partnership with Canadian Blood Services.
