Canadian Blood Services asking Canadians to give the "perfect gift"

Over 101,000 donations of blood needed to help hospital patients this holiday season

OTTAWA, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - As retailers scramble this holiday season to re-stock their shelves with holiday gifts, Canadian Blood Services is asking eligible Canadians to take one hour of their busy schedule to ensure our shelves are replenished with the gifts that will make a difference to hospital patients this season.

Between November 21 and January 2, Canadian Blood Services is asking Canadians to give the "perfect gift" this holiday season - give blood.  Over 101,000 life-saving "gifts" are needed for hospital patients from coast to coast.

The average Canadian will send out 50 holiday cards this season to friends and family. If that many people gave blood, one car accident victim could be saved. Someone like twenty-three year old Malorie Butler from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After a serious car crash in 2010 it took almost 50 blood donors to ensure Malorie got to spend the holiday season with her family and friends. Malorie flipped her car six times across a busy highway and was partially ejected from her car. The result: cracked ribs, a broken scapula, spine fracture, bumps and bruises and her liver was severely damaged.

"I feel as if I was given a second chance and it makes me feel like I have to go and do something extraordinary", said Malorie. "I always joke that I beat the odds because I'm stubborn, but really, I have so much to live for and blood donations have allowed me to do that. My wish this holiday season is for Canadians to do something extraordinary for hospital patients and take the time to rally your family and friends to donate blood. I'm alive today because of the generosity of many Canadians."

Malorie will be featured in holiday promotional materials, on Facebook and www.blood.ca, and donors will be receiving a special recruitment message from Malorie during the holiday campaign. For more about Malorie's story, please visit http://www.thankyourdonor.ca/#/143 .

Many treatments and procedures require blood products from several donors. For Malorie, almost 50 blood donors were needed to save her life. That's why, Canadian Blood Services is rallying communities across the country this holiday season to come together - Rally Together to Save Lives - as a way to show that collectively, blood donations can make a positive impact on someone's life.

There are plenty of opportunities to donate blood this holiday season. Making a blood donation before or after the holidays helps ensure an adequate supply for those in need. Please bring a friend or family member and donate either just before or after the holiday season. Call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236 6283) or visit us online at www.blood.ca to book an appointment today and give the perfect gift this holiday season. To help meet the continuing need for blood, donors who have an appointment in the coming weeks are urged to honour it.

About Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec. Canadian Blood Services also oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, and provides national leadership for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Canadian Blood Services operates 43 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. The provincial and territorial Ministries of Health provide operational funding to Canadian Blood Services. The federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for regulating the blood system.

To book an appointment or for more information, visit us at www.blood.ca or call 1 888 2 DONATE.

Follow us on Twitter @itsinyoutogive, visit our official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CanadianBloodServices and see our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/18882donate.

www.blood.ca/holiday2011

SOURCE CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES

Image with caption: "Malorie Butler (CNW Group/CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111121_C7618_PHOTO_EN_6956.jpg

Image with caption: "Malorie Butler (CNW Group/CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111121_C7618_PHOTO_EN_6958.jpg

Image with caption: "Malorie Butler (CNW Group/CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111121_C7618_PHOTO_EN_6960.jpg

Image with caption: "Malorie Butler (CNW Group/CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111121_C7618_PHOTO_EN_6962.jpg

Video with caption: "Video: Give the perfect gift to Malorie". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20111121_C7618_VIDEO_EN_6964.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20111121_C7618_PHOTO_EN_6964.jpg&clientName=CANADIAN%20BLOOD%20SERVICES&caption=Video%3A%20Give%20the%20perfect%20gift%20to%20Malorie&title=Give%20the%20perfect%20gift%20to%20Malorie

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