This Christmas, don't forget the gift of blood

Canadian Blood Services is concerned about having too many appointments open in the upcoming two weeks.

Peter MacDonald, director of donor relations for Atlantic Canada, said the agency is in a good position now.

"We have enough to meet the need going into the holidays," said MacDonald.

"We need folks to fill those appointments between Christmas and New Year's to ensure that we don't run into any challenges."

The holidays are always a challenging time, he said, because people are out of their regular routines.

MacDonald said blood donations are broken down into three components. Plasma can be kept frozen for up to a year, and red blood cells can be kept for 42 days. But platelets, often used in cancer treatments, can only be kept for a week.

The Canadian Blood Services centre on Fitzroy Street in Charlottetown will be open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays over the next two weeks.

You can book an appointment at the Canadian Blood Services website. Walk-ins are also welcome.

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