Man makes 224th donation to Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services in Barrie is working to fill hundreds of empty appointments this month, with the service relying on the generosity of many regular donors.
At the beginning of February, officials say there were 700 empty appointments that needed to be filled. Jack Barnett has been donating for decades. He recently made his 224th donation.
"Everybody needs a hand, and this is my way of helping," says Barnett. "I was in scouting, and that was one of our commitments, was service, and I've continued since 18."
Officials with Canadian Blood Services say donations are needed for a wide variety of patient needs, including children battling leukemia and other cancers who require frequent transfusions.
"You can make all the difference in a patient's life," says Cheryl Russell, the community development officer with the Barrie location. "You can give them the opportunity to thrive and return home to their families; you can help them go back to work and be part of this wonderful community we call Barrie; they can return to the playgrounds and play with their friends again."
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Blood Services lost 31,000 regular donors. It has worked to make the booking process as easy as possible. Appointments can be made online, through its app or over the phone.
"It is yours to give, it's free to give, and it's so very simple," says Russell. "It's something that will give you, I call it, the warm and fuzzy at the end of the day, and we want to make sure that everyone feels comfortable here."
Giving to those in need is what has kept Barnett donating for decades.
"It's so easy to give, it just takes a bit of time, and you can help so many people; it's the way to go," says Barnett.
For more information on how to book an appointment, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.