HÉMA-QUÉBEC launches its holiday campaign

Montréal, December 2, 2002 - Héma-Québec's holiday campaign will focus on the theme of Get Wrapped up in Life. From December 2, 2002 to January 5, 2003, some 248 blood drives will be organized with various partners in the community, with the goal of welcoming 28,600 donors throughout Québec.

Héma-Québec would like to remind the public that the need for blood never wavers, even though there are fewer donors during the holiday period. Every blood donation is a precious gift for recipients, and can contribute to save as many as four lives. Some of the major blood drives slated to take place include the City of Montréal drive on December 11, when 1,000 donors are expected and the TQS Québec drive on December 19, which has a goal of 800 donors.

Blood continues to be a product that is essential, perishable and irreplaceable. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 who is in good health can give blood. A donor who has given blood in the past two years can, with the approval of our medical personnel, continue to donate until age 71. Eligible donors can give blood every 56 days, or six times a year.

It should be noted that, each year, Héma-Québec welcomes over 280,000 donors at 2,500 blood drives. This show of solidarity helps meet the needs of the 112 hospitals located throughout Québec. In addition to the contribution of its 1,200 employees, Québec's official supplier of blood products can rely on the generous co-operation of more than 25,000 volunteers.

Héma-Québec's mission is to provide adequate quantities of safe, top-quality blood components and substitutes, to meet the needs of all Quebeckers; and to provide and develop expertise and services along with specialized and innovative products in the field of transfusion medicine and human tissue transplantation.

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