Héma-Québec joins the Canadian Forces for a blood donation operation

Montréal, October 26, 2006 – Héma-Québec is joining the Canadian Forces in a blood donation campaign across Canada in November 2006. Organized in collaboration with the Canadian Blood Services, the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Legion, this campaign is being held for the fifth year.

For this operation, Héma-Québec invites the CF members who are based in Québec and their families and friends to give blood. Anyone in good health aged 18 years and older who meets Héma-Québec’s eligibility criteria can give blood at the blood drives taking place in November around military bases located in Québec.

Note especially the drives taking place at the naval reserve HMCS Jolliet in Sept-Îles on November 1st and 2nd, as well as at the Montreal Garrison, from November 27 to 29. It is also possible to give blood at one of the GLOBULE Blood Donation Centres, at Place Versailles and at 4045 Côte-Vertu Boulevard in Montréal, and at Place Laurier in Québec.

Héma-Québec asks donors who have a connection with the Canadian Forces to identify themselves to reception staff so that their donations be counted for participation in this trans-Canada event. Last year, some 1,400 donors were welcomed on this occasion in Québec only.

For blood drive time and location, call 1-800-343-7264 or visit Héma-Québec's Web site 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 Quebecers; provide and develop expertise along with specialized and innovative services and products in the fields of transfusion medicine and human tissue transplantation. Héma-Québec is 1,300 employees, some 3,000 days of blood drives and more than 300,000 blood donors each year, 16,000 volunteer partners and 400,000 blood products delivered each year to Québec hospitals to meet patients' needs.

Give blood. Give life.

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