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home / 世界杯决赛2022

local blood donor centre closing to instead accommodate plasma

canadian blood services will close down its blood donation centre in windsor.

by dave battagello

dec 15 2022
read time 2 minute read
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the exterior of the canadian blood services facility in windsor is shown on wednesday, december 14, 2022. dan janisse / windsor star
citing a shortage of available plasma across the country, canadian blood services has announced it will close down its blood donation centre in windsor which will instead be converted to accept plasma donations.
the changeover will start to take place next july 28, a spokeswoman for the agency told the star.
“we need to increase plasma collection in canada as quickly as possible,” agnese caruso said. “to do this, we need a large donor base to support the growing need for plasma donors.”
after next summer’s shutdown, conversion of the local blood services donation centre at 3909 grand marais rd. e. into a plasma donor centre is expected to take a couple of months to complete. it will reopen sometime in the fall, she said.
the centre will still be made available to handle special blood donation events “for o-negative and rare blood donors in windsor,” caruso said.
the exterior of the canadian blood services facility in windsor is shown on wednesday, december 14, 2022.
the exterior of the canadian blood services facility in windsor is shown on wednesday, december 14, 2022. dan janisse / windsor star
but going forward, those wishing to donate blood locally will instead be utilized as plasma donors.
plasma is the straw-coloured liquid in blood which helps other blood components circulate through the body. plasma donated in windsor at the new centre will be made into “lifesaving medications for patients in canada — many which have no other treatment option,” according to the agency.
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“there is a global shortage of these medications and plasma needed to make them as these medications are in demand for a growing number of conditions,” caruso said.
“that’s why we’re increasing the amount of plasma we collect in canada. we’ve already opened five plasma donor centres since 2020 and we have plans to open six more by 2024.”
the decision to convert the centre in windsor was made “after careful review of our collection programs for both plasma and blood,” she said.
“this change will not impact local (blood recipient) patients,” caruso said. “canadian blood services operates a national blood system which means local health centres and those across the country will continue to receive blood and blood products as they do today.”
but news of windsor losing its blood donation centre is not sitting well with some, most notably regular donors.
the exterior of the canadian blood services facility in windsor is shown on wednesday, december 14, 2022.
the exterior of the canadian blood services facility in windsor is shown on wednesday, december 14, 2022. dan janisse / windsor star
an online petition on change.org — which so far has over 700 signatures — has been launched by mark jones, a frequent blood donor. he is asking for the decision to be reconsidered.
“this is extremely frustrating because many of us here go religiously on our next date and the clinics are always full of people,” he said in an online statement. “you ask for us to save lives, yet you are taking away that opportunity for us to do so.”
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the decision by canadian blood services “makes no sense whatsoever,” he said.
“please change this decision so we can continue to help save lives here in windsor and essex county,” jones said.
but the agency gave no indication it will reconsider the decision.
“all donors will be invited to donate plasma regularly in windsor at the new plasma donor centre,” caruso said.
“patients in canada (in the meantime) continue to need blood. we encourage donors to book and keep their appointments at the windsor blood donor centre over the next seven months.”

appointments can be scheduled by visiting online at blood.ca .

dbattagello@postmedia.com

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