MONTREAL -- With February being Black History Month Hema-Quebec is putting out a call for blood donations from Quebec’s Black community.
“We need to continue to sensitize people from the Black community of Montreal per se to, if you’re healthy, come out and give some blood,” said Black History Month Round Table President Michael Farkas. “It can save lives.”
On Saturday Hema-Quebec held the ninth annual Black History Month Blood Drive. During the event emphasis was put on the importance of giving blood because of sickle cell anemia, a genetic blood disease that is especially prevalent in the Black population.
Treatment for the disease requires regular blood transfusions. According to Hema-Quebec it takes about 26,000 blood donations per year to treat the 200 Quebecers living with the disease and finding a match is easier among people with the same racial origin.
“Instead of going every two weeks you’re going to the hospital maybe every two months or six weeks to receive your blood transfusion,” said Hema-Quebec spokesperson Naderge Ceneston.
In Quebec less than five per cent of blood donations come from minority communities and the Black population accounts for just one per cent.
Ceneston said Hema-Quebec’s goal is to add 1,000 new donors from the Black community this year.
“There are insufficient people from the Black communities that give so it’s an honour for me to give and it’s an honour for us to put on this event every year,” said Farkas.
