Over the next week, two blood drives will be held in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC on July 31. They will take place in Vaudreuil-Dorion and Hudson. Interested donors are invited to make an appointment.

Here are the upcoming clinics in the region:

• Monday, July 31 in Vaudreuil-Dorion: Organized by the Club Optimiste Vaudreuil-Dorion at the Opticentre Saint-Jean-Baptiste (145, boulevard Harwood) from 1:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Target 175 donations;
• Monday, July 31 in Hudson: Whitlock Golf & Country Club (120 Côte Saint-Charles) from 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Target: 70 donations.

A crying need

The summer vacations, combined with the fact that the number of new blood donors dropped significantly during the pandemic, are all reasons for Héma-Québec to remind people of the importance of giving blood.

To make an appointment before coming to a blood drive, simply create or consult your profile at jedonne.hema-quebec.qc.ca and reserve a time slot, or call 1 800 343-7264 (SANG).

Anyone who happens to pass by the blood drive sites and has time to donate is also invited to drop by and see if the teams in place are able to accommodate them.

Who can give blood?

Anyone in good health, aged 18 or over, is generally eligible to donate blood. Before coming to a blood drive, you can check your eligibility by contacting Donor Services at 1 800 847-2525, or by visiting the Héma-Québec website at www.hema-quebec.qc.ca, section Donors > Blood > Can I give blood?