91原创

Giving a little bit of yourself in early March could help save a life.

With spring just around the corner, is issuing an urgent call for Canadians, including 91原创ites, to give blood.

More than 35,000 donors will be needed by spring break to ensure all patients continue to have access to blood and blood products.

In , there are more than 250 open appointments to fill at upcoming , including:

鈥� Tuesday, March 6 from 1 to 8 p.m. at Church in the Valley, 23589 Old Yale Rd. 鈥� more than 100 open appointments to fill.

鈥� Wednesday, March 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Trinity Western University, Reimer Student Centre Atrium, 7600 Glover Rd. 鈥� more than 160 open appointments to fill.

Blood donors are urgently needed by Mar. 10. As a proud employee of Canadian Blood Services, I鈥檓 asking you to donate ASAP. If you are not eligible to donate, please ask someone you know to donate. By encouraging others to donate, you can also .

鈥� Tracy Smith (@tsmith2107)

Patients like 10-year-old Eliel (Eli) Tepas Barba from Vancouver understand the need for blood all too well. Diagnosed with hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia last year, Eli is currently in remission but still receives regular treatments at BC Children鈥檚 Hospital.

鈥淏lood donors are saving Eli鈥檚 life,鈥� said his father, Alex Tepas. 鈥淗e has received countless units of blood and we鈥檙e so grateful to the people who have helped keep Eli alive.鈥�

While the national blood inventory has steadily declined over the winter months, CBS hopes that the arrival of spring will present an opportunity for Canadians to make donating blood part of their routine.

鈥淐anadian patients rely on blood donors to live longer and healthier lives. More than 35,000 donors are needed over the next few weeks across Canada to help meet patient needs this spring,鈥� says Rick Prinzen, CBS鈥檚 chief supply chain officer.

Eligible blood donors in B.C. are urged to help fill more than 5,500 open appointments by March 10.

To make an appointment to donate, visit , download the CBS鈥檚 鈥楪iveBlood鈥� app or call 1-888-2-DONATE and find a nearby donation site.

Walk-in appointments are also available at all locations.

鈥淭here are thousands of open appointments across Canada over the next two weeks,鈥� Prinzen said. 鈥淎s we emerge from a particularly challenging winter, we鈥檙e asking Canadians to donate blood so that all patients have access to blood when they need it.鈥�