[on behalf of GDC member Casey Hrynkow]:

Dear fellow GDC/BC members,

I have been a blood donor for 30 years, on and off. I am guessing that many of you may already be blood donors, regular or otherwise. Wouldn’t it be great if your donations could be recognized collectively with the rest of the GDC/BC members? This would raise the profile of the GDC/BC through Canadian Blood Services‘ (CBS) Partners for Life donor boards at clinics and would help save more lives.

I am willing to volunteer as the “Program Champion” and act as the contact for GDC/BC with CBS. I am interested to know which of you might already be donors as well as who might be coerced, with some encouragement, to give it a try. It gives me a great feeling to know I’m helping in what is, essentially, a very easy way to make a big difference. I would like to set a goal for the GDC/BC Partners for Life, so if I can find out who might be interested and how many donations they feel they could make in a year, then I can let Canadian Blood Services know how we can help.

Please email me at casey@herraincoskipp.com.

Best,
Casey Hrynkow

1. riley Says:
   January 9th, 2007 at 11:02 am

   That is a great idea Casey.

2. Casey Says:
   January 9th, 2007 at 5:42 pm

   Thanks, Riley. Are you a donor or would you be? If anyone else reads this, let me know:

   A) will you donate
   B) how many times might you donate in the year.

   For point of reference, I will commit to three times, but I may do more. If you do go in to donate, you ask for the “book” and sign in so that your donation will be counted. I would like to get a sense of how many donors we have and what they will commit to donating, though.

3. Cameron Says:
   January 9th, 2007 at 7:18 pm

   I’d love to be a donor. In fact, I was, in England. But the authorities here worry I might be mad as a result. Darn cows. Sorry I can’t take part - great idea.

4. Christina Peressini Says:
   January 9th, 2007 at 9:55 pm

   A) Yes
   B) Every eight weeks

5. casey hrynkow Says:
   January 9th, 2007 at 10:24 pm

   You rock, Christina. Thanks for getting the ball rolling!!!

6. casey hrynkow Says:
   January 9th, 2007 at 10:26 pm

   Hey Cameron,

   How long do you have to be quarantined. I’m guessing there is a limit of some kind…

7. Christina Peressini Says:
   January 10th, 2007 at 8:20 am

   Yeah, if you’ve spent more than, I think, three months cumulatively in the British Isles bewteen 1980-something and 1992, you can’t donate here. That is, until they can check for mad cow. I suppose you can tell them you’ve been a vegetarian all those years….

8. Matt Warburton FGDC Says:
   January 10th, 2007 at 9:58 am

   Great idea Casey. I used to go to the YMCA in Peterborough with my Dad as a kid when he gave blood and always thought it was really cool. Lynn is unfortunately in the same group as Cameron as she lived in England during the period that now makes them possible mad cow disease carriers. There is no quarantine period, if you were there, it could be sitting dormant in your system today. I really do try NOT to use this fact as ammunition against her…

9. Yves Rouselle Says:
   January 10th, 2007 at 10:43 am

   Casey, thanks for taking this on, and motivating me to get back into the habit. I am happy to donate whatever blood is left in me after CRA takes their pints.

   Is there anything you can post to make it easy for everyone to get started, such as a resource for finding times and locations in their area?

10. Casey Hrynkow, MGDC Says:
    January 10th, 2007 at 12:55 pm

    Thanks, everyone. I think this is a great way to build the feeling of community for the GDC/BC. There are permanent and temporary clinics all over the province. You can look up the next one nearest you at:

    http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/clinics/InetClinics.nsf/CVSE?OpenForm

    The Oak Street Clinic in Vancouver is open Monday to Saturday and they’re open until 7:30 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays which is when I find it the most convenient to go.

    When you go in, ask for the Partners for Life book to sign in and make your donation count for the GDC as well as for saving up to three lives!

11. Christine Zoltok Says:
    February 1st, 2007 at 4:40 pm

    I’m donating in a few weeks. I’m hitching a ride with a friend - her workplace gets the CBS “blood bus” to come by and pick up willing donors.

    I wasn’t allowed to donate last time I went due to being in a malaria zone (South Africa) within the last six months, so this will be my first time. Assuming I don’t pass out, I’d be willing to go every 2-3 months.

    I will be sure to ask for that book Casey!

12. Terry Greaves Says:
    February 14th, 2007 at 10:50 am

    Hi Casey,

    Terrific idea. I used to give regularly until
    I moved out to the burbs. Every time I drive
    by the Oak Street facility I think I “ought”
    to start again. Now I will. Even with my
    needle phobia. I did learn that if you hydrate
    well before you won’t feel faint and might
    fill up that bag faster. Yikes.

    Thanks for pushing me to get on the wagon again.

    Terry Greaves

13. Christine Zoltok Says:
    February 14th, 2007 at 1:23 pm

    I’m going to give blood tonight for the first time - last time I couldn’t give due to their malaria zone restrictions (I travelled to South Africa). If all goes well I’ll be happy to donate every couple months.

    I’ll be sure to ask for that book, Casey!

14. Casey Hrynkow, MGDC Says:
    February 21st, 2007 at 3:52 pm

    Thanks Terry and Christine!! Christine, how did it go? I just had someone ask what it would be like to give blood. Do any of you previous donors want to describe your feelings about it?

15. Christine Says:
    February 25th, 2007 at 8:55 am

    So! Everything went along swimmingly. Here’s a brief rundown of the process.

    There is a very thorough screening process to ensure that you can donate - this process takes longer than the actual donation. First, they take a drop of your blood to check to see that there is sufficient iron in your blood. There’s a questionnaire to fill out and you speak for a few minutes with a nurse, at the end of which you make an anonymous decision whether they should use your blood. The actual donation process only takes about 10-15 minutes, which go by quickly if you have a book or magazine to read (might want to bring your own). If you’re a first time donor, they’ll give you a sticker to wear so that the nurses know to explain what they’re doing and make you feel at ease. The volunteers happily supply plenty of cookies and juice afterward, and everybody’s very appreciative of your support.

    FYI, I signed on the GDC “Partners for Life” page, and I was the first donor in there! So in the spirit of giving (and competition) let’s get donating!

16. Mark Busse Says:
    March 6th, 2007 at 5:41 pm

    You know what sucks? I have O/Rh negative blood, but cannot donate anymore.

    When I was younger I suffered from occasional dizzy spells. After much testing, the doctors diagnosed me with mild epilepsy. When I checked off that box on a donor form one year, they apologized and said their policy was to not take blood from epileptics, regardless of severity, in case a sudden pressure drop caused a seizure.

    I haven’t had a dizzy spell for many years though, so I wonder if they’d allow me now?

17. Casey Hrynkow Says:
    April 5th, 2007 at 3:22 pm

    Mobile Blood Donor Clinic downtown - evening hours!

    For the first time ever downtown, Canadian Blood Services will be holding an afternoon/evening mobile clinic on Wednesday April 18th at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown. For everyone who has ever wanted to donate AFTER work in the downtown area, this is your chance! The clinic will be open from 2pm-8pm, and it will be a 9-bed clinic so we will have the capacity to take larger groups. For individual appointments, please call 1 888 2 DONATE; for group appointments please call either Asha Nixon at 604-707-3440, or Jennifer Gerves-Keen, at 604-707-3510.

18. Casey Hrynkow Says:
    June 1st, 2007 at 8:13 am

    Hello Everyone,

    The Oak Street Clinic in Vancouver has called me (as GDC Partners for LIfe liaison) and asked that I get the word out that they really need people to donate this weekend at the Oak Street Clinic at 4750 Oak Street. Their hours are quite generous nowadays, Monday to Saturday. You can call them to book at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236 6283). If you do go in, make sure you sign the Partners for Life book as a GDC member so you can be recognized!

    Thanks,

    Casey

19. Casey Hrynkow Says:
    April 22nd, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    Canadian Blood Services has just simplifed the Partners for Life Program. Now, when you register you name with http::///www.blood.ca/parntersforlife your donations will automatically be credited to GDC.

    You only need the “organization number” which is SOCI008558. (copy and paste for accuracy.

    Thank you to all those who currently donate blood! If you don’t currently do so, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s a great feeling!

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