ABCs of eligibility for donating blood, platelets and plasma

Individuals who are blind, partially-sighted or who have low-vision can have a Canadian Blood Services employee read any required information to you during the screening process and assist you to the donation floor (if required).

Service animals may accompany you into all permanent donation centres. In most centres, you may be accompanied by a service animal throughout the donation process.

More information about services animals in donor centres can be found below.

If you require assistance from a sign language interpreter, we would be happy to arrange for a qualified interpreter to accompany you through the donation process. Due to Health Canada regulations, only certified, non-related interpreters are permitted in screening booths with donors.

Click here for more information about sign language interpreting services.

Our donor questionnaire is available in English and French, and we operate in French at select donor centres. Unfortunately, we are currently unable to provide language interpreters, unless we are booking appointments for a large group of donors (minimum 20 people).

Due to Health Canada requirements, only certified language interpreters and Canadian Blood Services screeners are allowed in screening booths with donors.

We recognize there is a need to evolve our translation services and we are actively exploring options to offer more multilingual services.

For information about sign language interpreting services for Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing donors, click here.

Donors are welcome to bring their service animals when coming to their donation appointment if they meet the requirements below. Please note that where a donation event occurs outside of a Canadian Blood Services donor centre, for example, at a community centre, the admittance of a service animal will be dependent on the policy of the property owner or landlord.  

If the service animal can be admitted, Canadian Blood Services policies will govern the animal’s behavior during the donation process. 

We recognize the barriers to donation this may cause and will continue to explore opportunities to make these donation events more inclusive. When possible, donors with service animals are encouraged to book their appointment at a permanent donor centre. 

You may bring your service animal to your donation appointment if: 

• There is evidence or you can prove that the service animal is trained to comply with behavioral and hygiene standards; 
• The service animal is for your personal use; 
• You can care for, and control the service animal during the donation appointment; and 
• The animal is restrained on a leash or harness or any other restraint you are comfortable using or is in a carrier.  
  • The animal must be on the floor and on the opposite side of the staff member during the phlebotomy portion of your donation appointment.  

You may be asked to leave your donation appointment if your service animal: 

• Is disruptive and you cannot restrain it; 
• Presents with symptoms of an illness such as open sores or wounds, vomiting, diarrhea, skin infections, coughing, and incontinence;  
• Poses a threat to health or safety as determined by Canadian Blood Services; or 
• Acts aggressively towards others. 

If you are no longer able have your service animal under your control during your donation appointment, Canadian Blood Services staff will work with you to find a solution, such as booking you a new appointment time, or assisting with contacting someone you know to come take the service animal, at your request. 

Canadian Blood Services is unable to accept responsibility for the care and/or custody of a service animal.

Individuals who require a support person are welcome to have them accompany you during your appointment. However, we do not allow support persons to participate in the confidential screening portion of the donation process, as per Health Canada regulations.

A support person (personal support worker, family member, friend, etc.) may assist a donor requiring physical assistance onto a donation bed. Our employees aren’t trained to transfer donors onto our donation beds.

Individuals who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids may self-report their height and weight during screening at our dedicated plasma donor centres and other donor centres where we collect plasma and/or platelets.

We unfortunately do not have height-adjustable donation beds and our employees aren’t trained to transfer donors onto our donation beds. However, you may bring a support person (personal support worker, family member, friend, etc.) to assist you onto a donation bed.

We do require that all donors use our donation beds, to ensure a consistent and safe donation experience. We need to be able to ensure that your feet can be elevated, in the event that you feel faint. Our employees are trained to rest and adjust your arm in a certain way on the donation bed but are not trained to maneuver donors’ wheelchairs in case of an emergency.

In the very unlikely but serious event that someone requires additional measures such as CPR, our donation beds can ensure these measures are performed safely.