The Saskatchewan Roughriders are looking for new recruits – to donate blood that is.
This is the team’s seventh year of the “bleed green” campaign with Canadian Blood Services.
READ MORE: New donation rules imposed by Zika virus mean more blood donors needed
Summer is a slow time of year for blood donations with many routines altered by summer activities.
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The campaign launched Friday at Rider training camp with blood recipient Sophia Hvidston on hand.
Hvidston, 4, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2015 and relies on blood and blood products during her treatments.
“When she was diagnosed and you walk into that cancer centre and you see all these other kids going through the same kind of cancer or some of them even worse,” said Sophia’s mother, Shanna Hvidston.
“It just brings you back to reality to sit here and see a child having to go through so much pain.”
Last year, nearly 2,300 donations were made through the campaign.
“Over the last six years, Rider fans have directly contributed to saving hundreds of lives through the Bleed Green program and we are looking forward to our most successful season yet in 2016,” said Gregg Sauter, vice-president, marketing and business development for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This summer alone, 11,500 blood donations are needed across Saskatchewan.
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