You can be a hero on Nov. 11

You can be a hero on Nov. 11

By Maripi Leynes

Do something more on Remembrance Day than wearing the red poppy on your coat.

Be a hero yourself. Save up to three lives life by donating blood at the special donor clinic to be held on Saturday, November 11, 2006 at the Transfiguration of Our Lord Church, 45 Ludston Drive in Etobicoke from 9 am to 2 pm.

Every minute of every day, someone in Canada is said to need blood. That someone could be a family member, a friend, a co-worker – or even you.

Accidents happen. There can be a loss of blood that needs to be replaced.

In Canada, roughly 137,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Cancer patients often need blood or blood products to survive their treatments.

Lengthy medical procedures require significant amounts of blood.

The need for blood and blood products is rapidly rising so there is also a need to increase the percentage of eligible Canadians who donate blood.

Canadian Blood Services, the not-for-profit, charitable organization whose sole mission is to manage the blood and blood products supply for Canadians estimates that they need 80,000 new donors every year to meet a growing demand for blood and blood products. It is therefore working hard to encourage all Canadians to donate blood including donors of all ethno-cultural backgrounds.

Couples for Christ, a movement intended for the renewal and strengthening of Christian family life, and ANCOP International, a Christian humanitarian organization, will be sponsoring the special donor clinic to collect blood as well as help raise awareness of the need for blood donations from the Asian community.

It is said that there is a higher prevalence of the much-needed Group O negative blood among Filipinos. Group O negative blood, one of the rare types of blood, is especially important as it is used in trauma cases and in newborn infant care.

“By sponsoring this clinic and others like it, Canadian Blood Services is working toward making blood donation part of the Asian community,” says Renee Naiman, Regional Director – Canadian Blood Services. “We’re counting on the generosity and community spirit of Asians, including those of Filipino decent, to make blood donation part of their everyday life.”

Consul General Alejandro Mosquera is expected to attend as a special guest of honour. Also present at the blood donor clinic will be:

Ricardo Cuenca – President, ANCOP Canada International

Eduardo Clarito – Area Director, GTA Couples for Christ

Eduardo Hilario – Eastern Canada Region Head, Social and Prolife Ministries

Father MarkVantatten – Parish Priest, Transfiguration of our Lord Church (Etobicoke)

Renee Naiman – Regional Director – Central Ontario Region, Canadian Blood Services

For more information or to book your appointment, call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) or visit us online at www.blood.ca.