Canadian Federation of Medical Students

Comprised of more than 8,000 medical students at 15 universities across the country, the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) promotes the need for blood, plasma and other blood products. CFMS also encourages members to join Canadian Blood Services stem cell registry and supports donation events through group and individual bookings.

Phlebotomy Bowl, its flagship event, is an annual competition between medical schools to recruit the largest per-capita numbers of blood donations and first-time donors. Since it began in 2015, the Phlebotomy Bowl has recruited at least 1,000 donors each year.

University of Ottawa student Marissa Absi, who serves as CFMS blood drive chair, began volunteering with Canadian Blood Services at age 16.

“Now, as a medical student, I'm in hospital wards and I'm really seeing these patients and the lifesaving treatments that they receive thanks to donations of blood and blood products,” says Marissa. “I receive so much comfort from that and have a passion to help by recruiting donors.”