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B.C.’s 1st plasma clinic collects over 12,000 units in 1st year

The first plasma donation centre to open in B.C. was in Kelowna’s Orchard Park Mall

In 365 days, the Kelowna Plasma Donation Centre in Orchard Park Mall has collected 8,840 litres of plasma.

June 22, celebrates one whole year for the clinic, the first of its kind in B.C.

Contributing to the nearly 9,000 litres of plasma is Nick Finn.

Finn made his 900th donation back in August 2021.

“I’d love to get to 1,000,” Finn said. “I know for this clinic that just opened last year when I came here to donate the system kind of broke down because they weren’t used to having someone from another clinic maybe with that number of donations attend here. So, it was kind of funny.”

Finn has been donating blood and plasma since he was 18.

Business Development Manager Janna Pantella says she often uses Finn’s story to encourage others to donate.

“Right now in Canada, we’re actually at the lowest levels we’ve been in a decade for the number of donors. One in two people are eligible, but only one in 81 will donate. You never know when someone is going to need these products, so we ask anyone who is willing to book an appointment and come in and donate.”

READ MORE: Number of Canadian blood donors plummets to lowest point in a decade during COVID-19

Pantella said overall they’ve had an amazing year at the clinic.

“We’ve welcomed over 3,700 donors that have come through our doors and donated plasma for the first time, and we’ve collected over 12,250 units of plasma over the last year,” Pantella said with pride before jokingly adding, “We collected more plasma than Mission Hill made rosé last year.”

You can learn more about the process or book an appointment at blood.ca, through the GiveBlood app, or by call 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283)

READ MORE: Donate to save this National Blood Donor Week


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Brittany Webster

About the Author: Brittany Webster

A video journalist with Black Press Media. I recently made the exciting move from my radio anchor position at AM 1150 to this new venture.
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