By being a blood donor, you can be a crucial lifeline for Canadians throughout the nation.
The impact of donating blood transcends all boundaries. As a donor, you could potentially be helping a child being treated for cancer, a mother who is experiencing difficulty during childbirth, or a father who is undergoing surgery. Or, your blood could be the match for a personal connection of yours, because at some point, someone you know will need blood.
Canadian Blood Services is in need of the support of blood and plasma donors to fill every available appointment in the months ahead to maintain strong and healthy inventory levels.
If you are considering donating blood for the first time, you must meet the following qualifications:
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At least 17 years old
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Meet the height and weight requirements if between 17 and 23 years old
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In good general health
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Able to perform your normal day-to-day activities
You can review the list of eligibility requirements for more information and take the two-minute eligibility quiz to determine your eligibility in advance of booking your first appointment.
On the day of your blood donation, it is important that you are hydrated, have eaten a healthy meal beforehand, had a good night’s sleep, are in good general health, and bring a valid ID.
The Lower Mainland has three main blood donor centre locations:
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Vancouver Donor Centre, located at 4750 Oak Street
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Downtown Donor Centre, located at 888 Dunsmuir Street
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Surrey Donor Centre, located at 15285 101 Avenue
For the full list of donor centre locations and hours, along with dates for community donation events, visit blood.ca or donate the GiveBlood App.
In compliance with B.C. public health authorities' requests to practice physical distancing, donor centres will only be welcoming people with pre-booked appointments.
To further protect everyone who enters the donor centres and ensure a safe donation experience, the following protocols have been put in place:
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Face masks are a mandatory requirement while within the donor centres. You are welcome to bring your own mask, or you can request one from donor centre staff.
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Pre-donation salty snacks have been suspended. Donors are encouraged to eat something salty prior to their appointment and drink 500 mL of water to help sustain blood volume. Donors will still be provided with post-donation drinks and snacks to consume outside the donor centres.
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Donors will be screened upon arrival which includes receiving a temperature check. Please refrain from drinking a hot beverage five to ten minutes before arriving at your appointment.
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Donors will be asked to clean or sanitize their hands and maintain a two-metre distance from one another.
About an hour of your time could change someone’s life. Book an appointment and be an essential part of #CanadasLifeline today.
To schedule your donation appointment, download the GiveBlood app, call 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283), or visit blood.ca/bc.
