Put Canadian pride into action: Canadian Blood Services invites people across Canada to fill every chair this summer

New data reveals giving blood or plasma might be the best thing you do for yourself this summer

TORONTO, May 12, 2026 /CNW/ - At a moment when many Canadians are looking for positive ways to show up for each other, Canadian Blood Services is issuing an invitation to new donors: fill every donation chair in the country this summer.

New survey data from Canadian Blood Services reveals that for Canadians, donating blood isn't just an act of health, it's an act of patriotism. Nearly half (46 per cent) of people in Canada say donating blood or plasma is a uniquely Canadian act of generosity, and 71 per cent believe that donating is one of the most meaningful ways people in Canada can give back to their community. Canada's Lifeline is nationally unified: one supply, shared by all. That's truly Canadian.

"People across the country are looking for meaningful ways to feel connected and part of something bigger. Blood and plasma donation is one of the most powerful expressions of that," says Ryan Adams, Director of Development and Recruitment at Canadian Blood Services. "Let's make this summer the moment to rally together as a nation -- and for new donors to experience firsthand what you get when you give."

What most first-time donors don't expect is what giving does for them. More than two-thirds (67 per cent) of Canadians who have donated within the past year believe that people who donate blood or plasma get something personal out of the experience, beyond helping others. In a world that can feel isolating and divided, giving blood or plasma offers something increasingly rare: real connection, real purpose, real impact.

That experience is at the heart of The Embrace, the new brand film and campaign from Canadian Blood Services -- the second installment of the bold platform that asks: Who's Saving Who? It tells the untold story of what you get when you give.

The invitation to experience the feeling of giving comes at a pivotal time. Each summer, people across Canada get swept up in the excitement of the season and appointment routines slip -- but the need doesn't. Today, just over 400,000 people donate to meet the needs of nearly 40 million people in Canada. Only about 2 per cent of those who are eligible currently donate, while demand continues to grow: more than 10 per cent for blood and 50 per cent for plasma, driven by health systems serving an aging population and advances in clinical care.

"By filling all donation chairs every day during the summer, we're taking a collective step towards achieving our ambitious goal of one million new donors by 2030, helping us meet the growing need for Canadian patients," continues Adams. "Canada needs more donors, and this summer we can all do something about it."

Join fellow Canadians this summer and experience the feeling you get when you give. Book at blood.ca, through the GiveBlood app, or call 1-888-2-DONATE.

About Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Regulated by Health Canada as a biologics manufacturer and primarily funded by the provincial and territorial ministries of health, Canadian Blood Services operates with a national scope, infrastructure and governance that make it unique within Canadian healthcare. In the domain of blood, plasma and stem cells, it provides services for patients on behalf of all provincial and territorial governments except Quebec. The national transplant registry for interprovincial organ sharing and related programs reaches into all provinces and territories, as a biological lifeline for Canadians.

These findings are from a survey conducted by Canadian Blood Services from April 23 to April 27, 2026, among a representative sample of 1504 online adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

SOURCE Canadian Blood Services

MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected], 1-877-709-7773