Haligonians asked to ‘roll up their sleeves’ in honour of a Canadian Blood Services champion

There are currently over 800 open appointments here in Halifax this month, and donors are needed more than ever

CITYnews halifax \ Meghan Groff

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Haligonians are being asked to ‘roll up their sleeves’ in honour of a Canadian Blood Services champion.

Last month, Peter MacDonald, the organization’s Atlantic Canada regional director of donor relations and collections died after a brief battle with cancer.

He was 56.

Peter’s family are hoping those living in our area, and across the country, will donate blood, plasma or platelets throughout the month in his honour.

“Peter was a passionate advocate for blood donation and wanted to inspire people to become donors,” said Canadian Blood Services in a news release. “This March, honour Peter’s legacy and support Canada’s Lifeline in a time of need.”

The not-for-profit charity said there are currently over 800 open appointments here in Halifax this March, and donors are needed more than ever.

“Recent illness and isolation requirements, coupled with several notable weather impacts, have affected donor attendance and the availability of staff,” it stated.

“These developments have put significant pressure on Canada’s Lifeline to meet demand, and we have seen a decline in donations nationally.”

Appointments can be booked by calling 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283), online at blood.ca, or by downloading the GiveBlood app.