Life

One blood donation could save three lives.

Blood is perishable, and has a 42-day "best before" date. That means we can't stockpile it for future use, and why we continuously need blood donors. While 42 days is the maximum shelf life, most donated blood in Canada is sent to hospitals within a week. Platelets only have a 5-day shelf life, and make them a constant challenge to supply, particularly after a long weekend.

The total experience takes about an hour. This involves the health assessment and recovery time. The actual blood donation only takes about 5 to 15 minutes.

A healthy person can donate every 56 days. (Seven times a year)

On average, every 60 seconds, someone in Canada requires blood or a blood product. Canadian Blood Services serves over 800 hospitals across the country. Demand for blood is growing steadily by 2% every year. That may not sound like much, but this year that means we need an additional 17,000 donations.

Between our 41 permanent locations in major cities across the country, and the hundreds of mobile clinics we operate, there are over 20,000 blood donor clinics per year. Chances are there is a blood donor clinic somewhere near where you live, work or play. To find one near you, use our handy Clinic Locator, or call us at               1 888 2 DONATE         1 888 2 DONATE.