This summer, 42,000 people have made a gift of life

Montréal, Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - Quebeckers are invited to donate blood as generously as possible during the summer vacation period. Since the beginning of the This summer, we're on the way campaign on June 2, Héma-Québec - with the help of its community partners - has welcomed nearly 42,000 blood donors at blood clinics that have been held throughout Québec. More than 7,000 individuals are expected to give blood each week from now until September 7.

“ Keeping the collective blood supply at an acceptable level depends entirely on the generosity of those individuals who are willing to share the greatest gift of all—their good health,” stated Dr. Francine Décary, Executive Director of Héma-Québec. Dr. Décary reminded us that, every day, Héma-Québec counts on the contributions of hundreds of blood donors and volunteers in order to meet the blood component needs of patients in Québec hospitals.

It is important to remember that Héma-Québec now has a test that detects the presence of the West Nile virus (WNV) in donor blood. For those wishing to have more information about the effect of the WNV on blood, a telephone hotline is available from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. and, on Saturday and Sunday, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Just dial 1 877 VNO-HÉMA (1 877 866-4362).

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

Give blood. Give life.