A GLOBULE Blood Donor Centre is opening its doors - 500 blood donors sought every week in Quartier Lebourgneuf Français
QUÉBEC CITY, June 12, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - To meet the growing demand for certain blood products, Héma-Québec has announced the opening of a second blood donor centre in the Québec City region: the GLOBULE in Quartier Lebourgneuf.
This new blood donation centre has 13 donation beds intended for whole blood donation, platelet donation and plasma donation by apheresis. It will be able to accommodate 75 donors a day with or without an appointment. Located at 1020, rue Bouvier, the GLOBULE in Quartier Lebourgneuf required an investment of nearly $2.3 million and has a staff of twenty-five employees.
While the GLOBULE in Quartier Lebourgneuf accommodates whole blood donors in blood drives, its primary mission is to meet the increasing need for plasma. Blood plasma is the liquid component of blood in which red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are suspended. Plasma constitutes 55% of total blood volume. It is composed of more than 90% water, but contains more than 300 different proteins. Plasma can be fractionated, and plasma proteins extracted from it are used in the manufacture of drugs required for the treatment of serious illnesses.
Plasma is collected by apheresis. With this technique, only the plasma is collected and the other blood components are returned to the donor. Donating by apheresis makes it possible to give larger amounts and to give more frequently. The blood collection lasts about 45 minutes, but a little more than one hour will be needed for the full procedure. Plasma donations are done by appointment at a donor centre, such as the Quartier Lebourgneuf.
This type of donation is done much more often that whole blood donation. Donation of platelets by apheresis can be done every 14 days, up to 24 times a year, donation of plasma by apheresis every six days, up to 50 times a year. By comparison, whole blood can be donated only every 56 days, or six times a year.
About Héma-Québec
Héma-Québec's mission is to efficiently meet the needs of the Québec population for quality blood and other biological products of human origin.
Héma-Québec encompasses 1,300 employees and nearly 240,000 blood, stem cell, mother's milk and human tissue donors, in addition to thousands of blood drive volunteers. Each year, Héma-Québec delivers some 750,000 human biological products to Québec hospitals to meet the needs of patients.
Give Blood. Give Life.
Original text in French.
SOURCE Héma-Québec
Héma-Québec, Media line, 514 832-0871
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