With the holiday season upon us, Londoners are looking for creative gifts to give their friends and family. Canadian Blood Services is urging everyone to give the the gift of life, and donate blood. With so many people travelling and celebrating, the need for blood increases substantially from late December through to early January. Michael Betel is the director of donor relations and says that donating blood is something almost everyone can do. It is a small change from our daily routine that makes a big difference in someone else’s. Betel is assuring everyone that the process only takes an hour and the actual blood donation is the shortest part of the process. 
Canadian blood services recently launched their Wrap It Up Red campaign which they hope will encourage more people to become platelet, plasma, or whole blood donors. Londonerswill also see recent donors sporting the new red bandages that were recently released with the goal to raise more awareness in the community. Betel says that for those who aren’t eligible to donate blood, stem cell, marrow, tissue, and organ donors are also always needed.
If you are looking to give the gift of life for someone not on your christmas list, there are 14,000 pop up clinics that happen annually across the country, as well as 36 permanent locations that are open during the holidays. The London location is located at 820 Wharncliffe Rd S, and accepts walk-ins. To make an apportionment Londoners can visit blood.ca.
