Blood Donors Provide Proof that Miracles Still Exist

Holiday Miracle
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Ten-year-old can still believe this holiday season, thanks to blood donors

December 2, 2013 (OTTAWA) – If a child were to look you in the eye and ask if miracles exist, what would you say? The answer might prove difficult if that child has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.

As Canadian Blood Services launches its annual “Holiday Miracle” campaign (December 2, 2013 – January 4, 2014), people like 10-year-old Grace Hart might be wondering: if in the rush for presents, have people forgotten about miracles? Grace’s battle with diamond-blackfan anemia means that she needs regular blood transfusions to survive. In fact, she receives a blood transfusion every 21 days.

Want to meet Grace? Watch her Story below.

This holiday season, Canadian Blood Services wants to assure patients that miracles do exist, to encourage people to donate blood, and to spark discussion around the idea of holiday miracles. Based on the famous letter “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” published in the New York Sun newspaper in 1897, Canadian Blood Services has written the following open letter to Grace and all other patients in need of blood:

Yes, Grace, there are still holiday miracles. They exist whenever you see the anonymous generosity of one stranger to another. They exist when that generosity extends to saving a stranger’s life.

Don’t believe me? This holiday season, have your Mom take you on a quick visit to your local blood donor clinic. Lined up in chairs you will see people happily and generously donating. Do they know the person they are helping? They do not.

So why do they do it? Because they believe. They believe that what they are doing is right. That what they are doing will directly help or even save the life of a neighbour, a family member, a friend … even a stranger.

There is your holiday miracle, Grace. It exists in the hearts of people who, without monetary reward, without having to look into the eyes of those in need, without knowing the person they are helping , feel the urge to help anyway. It lives in those people who take one hour from their day at this very special time of year to ensure that, in the most personal and direct way possible, a patient somewhere will enjoy another holiday too.

No holiday miracles! Why, a miracle is literally flowing through our veins.

Sincerely,
Your friends at Canadian Blood Services.

Between December 2 and January 4, Canadian Blood Services is asking Canadians to give patients a “holiday miracle” in the form of blood donations. Over 75,000 blood donations are needed for hospital patients from coast to coast during the campaign. Please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) or visit www.blood.ca.

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Across the country, Canadian Blood Services will be holding “miracle events” that will highlight stories about blood recipients like Grace and the blood donors who have helped them.

To be a patient’s holiday miracle, please:

  1. Call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-283) or go online at www.blood.ca to book an appointment to donate blood.

  2. Share your holiday miracle story on Canadian Blood Services’ Facebook page and on Twitter #giveamiracle

  3. Have your company or organization “Adopt a Recipient” and as a group make the number of donations that one anonymous person will need. For example, it can take 8 donations a week to treat one person with Leukemia, rally 8 of your friends and colleagues to make a group donation.

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