The Canadian Blood Services is pleading for more blood donors to come forward after a recent report found far fewer people are donating blood than they were a decade ago.
According to the Canadian Blood Services, about 100,000 new blood donors are needed to keep national blood supply at necessary levels. This need has caused the organization to join the international Missing Type campaign to reverse the decline in donor numbers.
The campaign combines blood services from 21 countries.
“Blood type is one way we’re all connected, yet many people rarely think about it or even know what theirs is,” said Susan Matsumoto, director at Canadian Blood Services, in a statement. “As a result of the Missing Type campaign we hope more people become aware of the constant need for blood and how knowing what your blood type is could help save your life – or someone else’s.”
During the campaign, the organization will remove the As, Bs, and Os – the letters of the main blood groups – from prominent locations around Canada and other countries around the world.
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In Toronto, the city sign at Nathan Philips Square has already lost the Os in “Toronto.”
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“Right now, too many As, Bs and Os are missing in Canada. We need Canadians to come forward and register to become blood donors at missingtype.ca,” said Matsumoto.
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