“I’m on the ferry right now headed to the Island to deliver blood to the hospital and pick up blood from our blood donor clinic. We make this trip three times a week to the North Island and up to six times a week to the South Island, going there and back in the same day. We also go to the interior three to four days a week to drop off and pick up blood, and work at the Lower Mainland clinics.
We make sure the blood is transported at the correct temperature and in a timely manner. It is very important that the blood stays at a specific temperature throughout the day as Health Canada has strict regulations regarding the transportation of blood and blood products.
I have been doing this for 30 years come this August. There have been times where I’ve had to rush to get blood to a helicopter in order to fly it out for a patient on the island.
The number of donors has increased from what it was before the pandemic. People need an outlet and something to do at this time and donating blood is a way of giving back. I started donating before I came to work here. I’ve had family members who needed blood and it’s nice to know it’s there when people need it. I think it is very important to give blood.”
Gino, transport attendant, part of the health care team