The Canadian Blood Services 2014-2015 Young Blood for Life Challenge kicked off with a ceremony at a northwest high school on Thursday morning.
Students at William Aberhart were recognized at the event after the school collected 729 blood donations during the 2013-2014 campaign, the most donations of any Canadian high school. 127 of William Aberhart’s donors gave blood for the first time.
Mark Donnison, Canadian Blood Services vice-president of donor relations, says the support of students across Canada has been overwhelming.
“The program itself, across the country, had 430 high schools involved,” said Donnison. “The team combined donated 22,000 blood donations over the course of the year and they also brought in 7,000 new donors which is absolutely incredible.”
Donnison adds getting young adults involved and engaged in blood donation can create a lifelong habit which could save countless lives.
More than 35,000 teenagers donated blood at Canadian Blood Services donor clinics last year.
For more information on the campaign, visit Young Blood for Life.
