News Briefs
Canadian campuses thirsty for blood
Western students will have the opportunity to donate blood this month.
Western will be one of many universities participating in the fourth annual cross-Canada donation challenge, Blood 101: Canadian Students Saving Lives.
The challenge is organized by Canadian Blood Services, a national, not-for-profit organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec.
Blood 101 will have 23 campuses across the country competing to see which school can raise the most blood. The challenge will take place between Jan. 11 and Mar. 31, with the ultimate goal of collecting 5,000 units of blood.
“Our research shows that young donors are some of the strongest supporters of the blood system during the school year,” Judy Compton, director of Donor and Clinic Services, said in a press release.
She added young donors account for about 10 per cent of Canadian Blood Services’ national donor base.
In previous years’ Blood 101 challenge, Western collected 424 units of blood. This year they are aiming for 700 units.
Clinics are held in the lower level of the UCC in the Student Health Services Resource Room every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 12 to p.m. In order to book an appointment, please call 1-888-2-DONATE.
—Meagan Kashty
Too bad Canadian Blood Services wants blood donors so much yet they refuse to eliminate their discriminatory practices. They still ask donors, “have you had sex with a man who has had sex with a man” and if you answer yes, they will not take your blood.
Why does CBS focus on groups (e.g. gay men) rather than high risk activity (e.g. have you had unprotected sex? have you ever had an STI? how many sexual partners have you had in the past year?)?
Imagine – under their standards, a female prostitute could sleep with 500 men in one year and donate blood, but a homosexual man who lost his virginity the night before while wearing a condom could not donate.
All donated blood is already test for AIDS.
Why continue the discrimination?
Sad that by trying to do a good deed, UWO is turning our student centre into a centre where gay students will face discrimination.