Behind the Business – Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services opened up its new plasma donor centre in unit 1120 at 110 Place D’Orléans Drive. (exterior entrance only – beside Mark’s)

 

Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Regulated by Health Canada as a biologics manufacturer and primarily funded by the provincial and territorial ministries of health, Canadian Blood Services operates with a national scope, infrastructure and governance that make it unique within Canadian healthcare. In the domain of blood, plasma and stem cells, we provide services for patients on behalf of all provincial and territorial governments except Quebec. The national transplant registry for interprovincial organ sharing and related programs reaches into all provinces and territories, as a biological lifeline for Canadians. 

 

In 2019, Canadian Blood Services announced plans to increase plasma collection in Canada. They have enhanced their plasma collection programs at existing blood donor centres as well as opening new dedicated plasma donor centres which included one in Ottawa – here in Orléans in the Spring of 2022.

 

We are thrilled that the team at the plasma centre have called the Heart of Orléans their home. They spend their time collecting plasma from volunteer, unpaid donors making it a positive experience for all. They need to recruit 225 new plasma donors a month. Plasma is a protein-rich yellow liquid; and 55% of blood volume. Plasma can be used for transfusion or for manufacturing into specialized medications called plasma protein products. These medicines help treat a variety of rare, life-threatening, chronic and genetic conditions. Plasma collected at the Orléans donor centre will be manufactured into lifesaving medicines and distributed to over 730 hospitals and clinics across the country. 

 

When asked where they saw themselves in 3-5 years, the response was becoming a pillar in the community and giving the opportunity to Orléans to make a difference. 

 

If you would like to make a difference, please visit blood.ca/donate or call 1 888 2 DONATE to make an appointment. You can also book with the GiveBlood app. 

 

Many thanks to ChristinaLH Photography for helping us with this project!