It is with great pleasure that we inform you that you have reached your lifesaving goal for 2007. Thank you for being a committed Donors for Life member. Your donations have improved or saved the lives of many people — that's the beauty of giving blood. You may have allowed a daughter to give more hugs to her mother, a friend to go on another fishing trip and a neighbour to return to her profession.
In this issue of LifeLine, we want to share with you some factual and fun information about blood donation and Canada's blood system. For example, did you know that, on average, 4.6 donations of blood are required per patient? In fact, every minute of every day a Canadian needs blood. This makes your donations throughout the year always needed and valued. And, we just want to say, 'thanks'.
Please enjoy this edition of LifeLine.
Sincerely yours,
Jeff Moat Program Director
Donors for Life Facts Just how many donations are made by the over 56,000 Donors for Life members? Thousands! Last year, you and other dedicated Canadians donated 22% of the total blood and blood products collected. You truly are the heart of Canada's blood system.
Donation Type
DFL Donations*
All Donations, including DFL*
DFL %
Plasma
23,891
51,835
46%
Platelets
10,273
33,043
31%
Whole Blood
174,065
875,113
20%
Total
208,229
959,991
22%
*Canadian Blood Services' Fiscal Year: 2006-04-01 to 2007-03-31
Blood Types — Fact, Fun & Origin Type A
- Fact:
42% of Canadians
- Fun:
suggests someone is reliable and a team player
- Origin:
Middle East and Asia around 25,000 and 15,000 B.C.
Type B
- Fact:
9% of Canadians
- Fun:
suggests someone is a self-starter and independent
- Origin:
first appeared between 15,000 and 10,000 BC in the Himalayas
Type AB
- Fact:
3.5% of Canadians
- Fun:
suggests someone is organized and friendly
- Origin:
when Mongolians overran the European civilizations 900-1000 years ago
Type O
- Fact:
45% of Canadians and most in demand, as O-negative is used in emergencies since anyone can receive it
- Fun:
suggests someone is competitive and goal oriented in nature
- Origin:
oldest blood type, originating in Southern Africa
How Many Teaspoons? There is no measure for saving a life or restoring someone to health. But last year, fellow Canadians gave just over 875,000 units of whole blood — or 414,000 litres — or over 82 million teaspoons!
Around the Globe & to the Moon Blood goes the distance, it's true. On average, there are enough blood vessels in an adult's body to go around the earth at the equator approximately 2.5 times. That's one-quarter of the distance to the moon. That's some feat!
Supporting Our Hospitals Heart surgeries, cancer treatments, accidents and emergencies…these happen daily. To meet the blood supply requirements of Canada's 732 health facilities this year, 85,000 new donors are needed. Help spread the word about blood donation and make us one donor closer to our goal.
This e-mail was created to bring you information on Donors for Life, and to tell you more about the role that blood plays in our lives.
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