Black communities: essential support for the collective blood supply

Montréal, February 1, 2010 — Every year, Black History Month highlights the indisputable contribution of Black communities to political, cultural, social and economic life in Québec. With this in mind, Héma-Québec is pleased to be part of the 2010 Black History Month.

“Héma-Québec’s mission is to provide adequate quantities of optimal quality blood components for all Quebecers. For us, Black History Month is an opportunity to draw attention to the essential contribution that Black communities make to developing and maintaining Québec’s collective blood supply,” emphasized Dr. Francine Décary, President and Chief Executive Officer of Héma-Québec.

Héma-Québec recently launched a campaign to raise awareness in cultural communities, including Black communities, of the importance of giving blood. To date, the collective blood supply does not reflect the changing face of Québec. This poses a challenge since the chances of finding blood with similar characteristics between a donor and recipient are greater if they are from the same cultural community.

Knowing that every 80 seconds someone needs blood, we all—individually and collectively—have a role to play in ensuring an adequate blood supply for the population of Québec. The maintenance of the collective blood supply depends entirely on the generosity of people who care about sharing the priceless gift of good health.

About Héma-Québec

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 Quebecers; to 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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For more information:

Héma-Québec
Media line | 514-832-0871