Save a life this summer by giving blood !

Saint-Laurent, June 11, 2002 - To meet the demands of Québec hospitals for blood components during the summer, HÉMA-QUÉBEC expects to receive more than 81,000 donors at its 443 mobile clinics, organized between June 10 and September 10.

You and your loved ones can make a difference by including blood donation in your summer activities, reminds us Patrick Bérard, who has received 300 blood transfusions in the course of his ganglion cancer treatment. "For a recipient, a blood donation is a true gift of life. It's a great gift. I want to thank all the donors for their generosity." Bear in mind that a blood donation, which only takes 60 minutes, can save the life of four people.

Need for blood is constant, even in summer
The coming months are key in maintaining the blood reserve level. According to Dr. Francine Décary, Executive Director of HÉMA-QUÉBEC: "Currently, the blood reserve is at an acceptable level, but it may not be so in the coming months as Quebeckers begin taking their summer vacations. It is also more difficult to recruit volunteers for mobile clinics. Nevertheless, there is a constant need for blood products, seven days week."

For a list of clinics in Montréal and West of Québec, you can contact the automated Info-Clinic service at (514) 832-0873 or 1 800-343-7264. For the list of clinics in Québec and East of Québec, you can contact our service at (418) 650-7230 or 1 800-761-6610. The list is also available on our Web site at www.hema-quebec.qc.ca, under the "blood drives" heading.

HÉMA-QUÉBEC's mission is to provide Quebeckers with sufficient quantities of safe, top-quality blood components, derivatives and blood substitutes to meet the needs of hospitals, and to provide recognized expertise and specialized services in the field of immunohematology.

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