Blood donation awareness: Héma-Québec increases its activities

Montréal, September 19, 2006 – Blood donations are a daily concern for patients who must get blood transfusions. To remind the population of the constant need for blood products and encourage everyone to make this priceless gesture, Héma-Québec has launched on September 18 its new blood donation awareness campaign.

According to Héma-Québec's data, while only 3% of the people of age to donate do it and 97% consider doing it, it appears that 25% of the eligible population have shown interest for giving blood in the coming year. It is to convince this portion of potential donors to take action that Héma-Québec's campaign features, once again, real blood donors. In their everyday lives, they address the public to suggest motivating factors and changes in attitude leading to blood donation. These donors share their pride of helping to save lives both through 15-second video clips and outdoor posters. On a more encouraging tone, this new awareness campaign is in keeping with this past summer's campaign; both were produced by lg2.

Anyone in good health who is aged 18 and over and meets Héma-Québec's eligibility criteria can give blood every 56 days. Take note that it is possible to donate blood at the blood drives held in all Québec regions or at one of the GLOBULE blood donor centres, which are located at Place Versailles and at 4045 Côte-Vertu Blvd. in Montréal, and at Place Laurier in Québec City.

For more information about blood donation, you can call 1-800-343-7264 or go to the Héma-Québec website at www.hema-quebec.qc.ca.

Created in 1998, Héma-Québec's mission is to efficiently provide adequate quantities of safe, optimal blood components, substitutes, human tissues and cord blood to meet the needs of all Quebeckers; provide and develop expertise along with specialized and innovative services and products in the fields of transfusion medicine and human tissue transplantation.

Give blood. Give life.

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