Allison Hanes: Giving blood has become an issue close to my heart

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I did something last week I haven’t done in nearly 30 years.

No, nothing wild or daring. I rolled up my sleeve and donated blood.

I used to give before an exchange to France in the 1990s disqualified me for decades to come over fears of mad cow disease. But the long-running ban on blood donations from people who spent significant time in countries where Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was prevalent was finally lifted last year as concerns about the fatal neurocognitive disorder contracted by eating beef from infected cows diminished over time.

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The old restrictions on donating are a thing of the past. But I had a new motivation to do it.

I’ve had a close-up view on the need for blood products in recent months, and it has been an eye-opener. My father, who has cancer, has received many transfusions of both platelets and blood. I’m so grateful a stranger’s gift has been keeping him alive that the importance of this simple act has become an issue close to my heart. So when I saw a poster for a local blood drive in my community, I signed up right away. How could I not?

Héma-Québec frequently appeals for blood over the summer months to keep up with demand. Typically, Hema-Québec requires 1,000 donations a day to maintain an optimal supply. But with many Quebecers on vacation, donations can sometimes dry up.

It might be the middle of the summer holidays, but there’s no reprieve for those who need blood products to manage their disease or because of unforeseen circumstances like a terrible accident. Every 80 seconds, someone in Quebec requires blood. You just never know when you or your loved one could end up being the person in need.

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Going to a blood donor clinic may not scream summer vacation fun, but it’s actually a good time to donate. You can do it close to home or wherever you venture. There are clinics, both permanent and roving, operating across the province. And why not visit when you have all the time in the world, rather than when you’re in a rush, even if you can reserve a time slot on Héma-Québec’s website for maximum efficiency?

In the spirit of chillaxing, the organization’s summertime ad campaign even features a photo of one of its classic blue recliners in a backyard with the tag line “Lounge chair season has begun.” While my donation took place indoors, the fact the temporary clinic was set up at a golf course made for a pleasant setting.

Whether in a church basement or a country club, the process of collecting blood has evolved dramatically since my last effort when there were so many paper forms. Now there are bar codes, bracelets, scanners, computerized questionnaires, online booking forms and apps — all the bells and whistles of the digital age.

After the tainted blood tragedy of the 1990s, in which more than 1,000 Canadians were inadvertently infected with HIV and hepatitis C  through transfusions, screening and tracking became much more rigorous. You still have to answer questions about your health, travel and potential high-risk behaviours to determine eligibility, even if mad cow disease is no longer a thing.

Héma-Québec was created 25 years ago and has 1,400 dedicated staff who handle more than 800,000 biological products a year — including plasma, platelets, stem cells, tissues, cord blood and breast milk — from nearly 200,000 donors.

But blood drives still have the same old vibe, with community organizations and service clubs hosting them or volunteering to provide the requisite snacks.

Regardless of whether it’s your first time or you’re a regular, giving blood is a worthwhile activity to squeeze into your summer plans. You can rest assured you did something that matters on your vacation. Even if you never find out who you’ve helped or what good you’ve done, you may just have saved a life.

ahanes@postmedia.com

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