Sikh Nation partners with blood bank to help fill desperate need for plasma donors

SUDBURY -

The Sikh Nation and Canadian Blood Services have partnered to encourage people to become plasma donors.

Karan Badhesha was at Canadian Blood Services in Sudbury Saturday giving plasma for the third time. He believes this kind of donation is priceless.

"You can't buy these things plasma or blood with money," said Karan Badhesha, a plasma donor. "Like for example if somebody need shelter or food or anything you can buy something. But this is something that doesn't come from money it comes from awareness, it comes from human to the next human. So this is a cause of humanity."

Sudbury was the first of three Plasma only collection centres in Canada.

"We call it liquid gold and that is simply because it can treat so many different illnesses," said Teri-Mai Armstrong, Canadian Blood Services manager of Business Development.

"Things like cancer, disease, RH in newborns, severe burns, immune deficiencies. There are so many different treatments that plasma can help."

Jasmeen Kaur donated plasma for the first time and admits she was anxious at first but says it felt great to make a difference.

"I was nervous excited when I went in. It all went really wonderful and I was nervous excited again. But then I feel proud like I am saving a life, I would be saving a life," said Jasmeen Kaur a plasma donor.

Jasmeen has already booked her next donation next month.

Canadian Blood Services said new donors are desperately needed.

"Sudbury needs to have 125 new donors per month to continue with the need and to continue to meet the collection demand. And so we are so appreciative of all the donors that have come out this far," said Armstrong.

Canadian Blood Services adds the need for plasma is four times greater than what is currently being collected in Canada.