Bleed green a success

The Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club, SaskEnergy and Saskatchewan residents scored another touchdown for patients with Bleed Green. The campaign's fourth season inspired a total of 1,192 Rider fans to book an appointment and help save lives in Saskatchewan and across the country.

As a new Canadian Blood Services Partner for Life this year, the Roughriders pledged to give 505 blood donations - 101 donations per month in honour of the 101st Grey Cup - during the regular CFL season. This was the first time a target was set for Bleed Green, a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the need for blood by encouraging fans across the province to share their Rider Pride through blood donation.

"We'd like to thank the Saskatchewan Roughriders and SaskEnergy for their continued support. In Saskatchewan alone, we need to collect more than 4,000 donations a month to keep up with hospital demand so initiatives, like Bleed Green, that inspire community members to rally together around patients are crucial," says Canadian Blood Services Community Development Coordinator Michelle Miller.

Patients like Courtney Domoney who was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor, kidney cancer, at age seven. Courtney needed blood to help her through surgery to remove her right kidney, part of her left lung and six months of chemotherapy. More than a decade later, Courtney is healthy and excited to lead the Canadian flag on field for Bleed Green at the Riders final home game of the regular season on November 2.

"It's hard to imagine what would've happened to me without blood donors - I'm glad I'll never have to know. I am so thankful for that - donors helped save my life. Help save other people too," says cancer survivor and blood recipient Courtney Domoney.

The need for blood is constant. Currently, there are 1,400 appointments available at Saskatchewan blood donor clinics in the next two weeks. To book an appointment, visit www.blood.ca or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283). We ask those who already have an appointment to make every effort to keep it and, if you can, bring a friend to donate.