My son was excited to be donating blood for the first time. He made an appointment but was unable to donate because his veins were not visible. He needed to hydrate more. A few months later, the tables were turned. He wasn't feeling well so he was sent for bloodwork. Less than 24 hours later, we received a call telling us to get to the hospital as soon as possible. We rushed to the hospital and he was registered and in a bed within 20 minutes. After another round of bloodwork, the tables were turned. My son received his first blood transfusion and a diagnosis of leukemia. I will never forget seeing the nurse hanging the first bag of blood. I had never cried so hard, ever. He would go on to receive over 15 more bags during the month long hospital stay while he underwent intense chemotherapy. In that moment, I had a first hand experience of why donating blood would be so important. That was when I decided that I would begin donating blood. Canadian Blood Services made my first experience amazing. I was always hesitant to donate blood due to a fear of needles. Now, Kaden's hockey league has committed to hosting blood drives twice a year in support of Kaden's cause. Donating blood has never been in such need as it is now. If my son did not receive the blood he needed to survive, I would be telling a whole different story.
