The North Bay hospital is going mobile with its blood donation drive.
A new mobile blood donor clinic was out on Monday as the Regional Health Centre tries to broaden its reach and attract new donors.
According to Canadian Blood Services, 100,000 donors are needed each year, but new donors are needed now more than ever.
Doctors at North Bay’s hospital say they go through 150-200 units of blood every month.
“Sometimes it's even more than 200. We especially see this in the winter months, because we run more surgeries in the winter months. Accidents are more in the winter months.” said Dr. Ali Amer.
But blood transfusions aren't only used in accident related emergencies, they're also vital to patients battling cancer.
Dozens of donors packed the health centre's first mobile clinic, all taking part, for a variety of reasons:
“I've been donating for years now. It's just something that doesn't take a whole lot of effort and can help a lot of people, so why not?” said one donor.
“I think it's important because there's a lot of people who would like to donate blood, but can't for a variety of reasons. So, the people who can donate, it feels good to be able to contribute.” said another.
The health centre says given the fact that the shelf life of blood isn't very long, donations are needed regularly.
“It's really the cheapest and easiest way to save a life and help out.” said Dr. Amer.
According to the health centre, one in two Canadians are eligible to donate, but the reality is that only one in 60 actually take part in blood donation.
