Calgary Muslim group rallies members to make life-saving, first time blood donations
A group of first time blood donors in Calgary helped fill a vital need on Victoria Day, highlighting the ongoing demand for a diverse range of blood products.
The group is a small Shia Muslim sect, with roughly one million members worldwide..
"Many of our community members aren't sure of the process to give blood and how they wanted to get involved," explained Ali Oonwala, a member of the Dawoodie Bhora community.
There are about 1.8 billion Muslims in the world and community service is a core principle of their faith
"We felt what better way to give back than by giving the gift of life," added Oonwala.
"We've got close to 50 people and 90 per cent of them are first time donors," said Francis Aranha, a community volunteer and organizer of the new donors, of Monday's turnout.
Canadian Blood Services says donations have been down since the pandemic started, but there has also been a steep drop in blood product reserves, falling roughly 25 per cent since April.
"One-in-two are eligible to donate, and what we're seeing is only one-in-81 does. So we need to bring in more new donors," says Lisa Castro of Canadian Blood Services.
It's important to have donations from a wide variety of ethnicities, as some blood products and treatments require close matches between patient and donor.
"In some cases, such as our stem cell patients, they need specific blood types to support them," says Castro.
To make an appointment you need to book online by going to Canadian Blood Services. The donation appointment takes about 30 minutes to complete.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.