Changes to the iron and hemoglobin guidelines for blood donors are coming and officials with Canadian Blood Services are looking for more donors to offset the modifications.
Starting on December 10, females will need to wait 12 weeks between donations.
“We’re going to be changing the interval that females can donate from 56 days to 84 days. So this may decrease the frequency with which the donors come in so we need to increase the number of new donors to help offset those female donors,” said Judy Jones, Associate Director of Alberta and Northwest Territories for Canadian Blood Services.
In March, the organization will also be making changes to the allowable hemoglobin level for males who donate from 125 g/L to 130 g/L.
“We will be changing the criteria a bit for males as well and increasing the amount of hemoglobin that we require for them to donate. It doesn’t affect too many males but again, we just want to make sure we’re keeping the safety of the donors at top of mind when they come in,” said Jones.
Jones says one in two people are eligible to donate but only one in sixty actually contributes.
“So I know a lot of people say, I meant to do that, I must come in, so here’s an opportunity to turn that must into now.”
Canadian Blood Services says other organizations are making similar changes and that it needs about 850 new blood donors in Calgary over the next four weeks.
“We’re not the first organization to move to these changes. We’ve been monitoring and keeping an eye on changes around the world and a lot of organizations have changed to this 84 day change for females and the hemoglobin change for males,” said Jones.
Calgary residents can donate blood at:
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Calgary Blood Donor Clinic, 737 13 Ave SW
Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.
Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To book an appointment or for more information, click HERE.
