Canadian Blood Services is recognizing and thanking everyone who has donated blood with them, as this week is National Blood Donor Week.

Lisa Beechinor, a spokesperson for Canadian Blood Services, says thanking donors “recognizes how vital they are to saving lives each and every day.”

She says every 60 seconds, someone in Canada either needs blood or blood products.

“That can’t be done without the generous donations of donors. By them taking time out of their day, they’re helping save a life which is the most generous act one can do.”

While supplies last, those who book an appointment before June 30th will be given a special arm band covered in words of gratitude.

“These words have actually come from patients when describing donors…You’ll get a great arm wrap, and it’s just a recognition of how much patients appreciate you and Canadian Blood Services appreciates you.”

She adds that recent eligibility changes have added 11,000 new donors to the database, but the need for blood is constant, and more appointments need to be filled.

“In Saskatoon, we currently have 530 appointments that are open until the end of June, and over 90 this week alone… In Regina we have over 400 appointments that need to be filed by the end of June.”

She adds that donation rates drop during the summer, as most people are on holidays and giving blood isn’t top of mind.

“Summer is definitely a more difficult time for us to collect…but the need for blood is constant. It does not take holidays, so it’s essentially that we still have donors coming in.”

Saskatoon residents will notice that SaskTel Centre is lit up in red, to both thank those who have donated as well as encourage those who have yet to make the decision.

Beechinor is encouraging the public to book a donation appointment at blood.ca, on the Give Blood app, or by phone call.