What’s it like to donate blood for the first time? 10 new donors speak up

Thinking about donating blood for the first time? Learning about the experience is a great first step to helping patients. We caught up with some new donors in the minutes after their first donation, to ask them what it was like for them. This winter, we’re seeking 450 people each day to book their very first appointments to donate blood or plasma. Let these 10 donors inspire you to give it a try.

 

 

 

1. ‘Donating blood was a great experience’  

Jakob is a student at the University of Ottawa who is passionate about giving back to his community. He saw donating blood with other varsity athletes as a great opportunity to do that.  

What surprised you about donating blood? The assortment of free snacks that were available. I mean, I’m always a snacky kind of guy, so I was really happy to see all the chips, pretzels, juice boxes.  

If you could send a message to a person getting your blood today, what would you say? I’d say thank you for letting me help you. And thank you for allowing me to give part of myself to you. 

2. ‘Donating blood was just one of the best things I could have done in life’ 

Dawn grew up in Scotland, and was thrilled to make her first blood donation in Canada. Previously, she was ineligible because of criteria related to ‘mad cow’ disease. Those criteria were changed in late 2023. 

Are there any blood or plasma recipients in your life? When I was a baby, I was given blood. And I know my mom has also received a blood donation. 

If you could send a message to a person getting your blood today, what would you say? I would say: I hope my blood is good enough! 

Do you have any advice for someone who’s hesitant about donating blood? I would say, just do it! It’s great, it’s easy, it just feels amazing to give blood. 

Anything else you’d like to add? Honestly, I’m just so glad that I did it today. I was a little bit nervous coming in. But now I’m leaving here and I cannot wait for my next appointment to give more blood. 

3. ‘Donating blood was a really special experience’

Parissa and some of her classmates at Lisgar Collegiate High School in Ottawa began organizing blood drives after doing a research project about blood donation in a class. One thing they learned was “there’s a lack of diversity in blood donation,” Parissa says. “We wanted to bring awareness to that.”  

Learn more about why we need a diverse donor base 

Parissa was thrilled to make her first blood donation with others from her school, such as her classmate Maeve (seen with Parissa in the photo at the top of this article). 

What surprised you about donating blood? What surprised me was everything went smoothly. I didn’t feel faint or dizzy. I was calm. Everyone was really kind. No negative effects.  

If you could send a message to a person receiving your blood today, what would you say? I would tell them that I’m happy I could make a positive change in their life. 

Any advice for someone who’s unsure about donating blood? The thought of it is what’s scary. The actual experience itself goes really smoothly! It’s nice. Everyone’s kind. And it really helps to have a friend with you. 

4. ‘Donating blood was fantastic’

Mahad made his first blood donation after wanting to do it for a long time. 

What surprised you about donating blood? That the environment that was very professional, and that it was very, very quick to donate blood. 

If you could send a message to a person receiving your blood, what would you say? Well, I hope this small thing that I did will achieve something for your health, and will help you to get better. 

Any advice for somebody that’s hesitant about donating? Yeah, I do. It is very simple and it will help a lot of people.  

5. ‘Donating blood was impactful’ 

Maggie was surprised by both the simplicity of donating and the post-donation snack variety. 

What’s your favourite snack? I like cookies.  

What do you hope your donation will achieve? I hope my donation will achieve something meaningful for another person. And I hope it helps them get a better life. 

If you could say a few kind words to a person getting your blood today, what would you say? I would like to say that everything’s going to be O.K. And if I could, I would hug you. 

Do you have any advice for someone who’s unsure about donating? If you’re unsure about donating, don’t be! You know, don’t hesitate. It’s something great. You are going to save a life. So just jump straight into it. Don’t think too hard. 

6. ‘Donating blood was chill’

Like many first-time donors, Merissa found the experience less scary than she’d anticipated. 

Do you have advice for someone that’s hesitant about donating? Yeah. So I actually thought it would kind of hurt to get the blood drawn out, but it didn’t at all. It was really painless. And it was kind of cool to watch it come out. So don’t worry! 

Anything else you’d like to add? After having donated blood, I know it’s something I would easily be able to do again, and want to make sure I do consistently. Because why not? I can!  

7. ‘Donating blood was powerful’

When Ethan made his first blood donation, he was surprised by the ease and speed of the process. 

If you could send a personal message to someone receiving your donation, what would you say? I’d say hey, I don’t know who you are, but I hope that you have a much better day. I hope that you do well, and that you can live life to the fullest. 

Do you have any advice for someone that might be hesitant about donating blood? I'd say it's normal to feel hesitant, to feel a little nervous. But the process is very safe. It’s very easy. And the outcome is really rewarding, knowing that your donation can save a life. 

8. ‘Donating blood was awesome’

Riya described her first blood donation as an “exciting moment” that made her feel like part of a community. 

What surprised you about donating blood? How easy it was. It was so smooth. 

If you could send a personal message to a person that’s getting your blood today, what would you say? I would tell them ‘stay strong.’ 

Any advice for somebody that’s hesitant about donating blood? The only advice I would give is ‘just eat and breathe.’ And that should be fine. 

9. ‘Donating blood was fun’  

Jennifer made her first blood donation with colleagues at Adobe who regularly donate blood together. 

What do you hope your blood donation will achieve? Saving lives.  

If you could send a message to a person getting your blood today, what would you say? I hope that this helps you live a long and healthy life.  

Do you have any advice for someone hesitant about donating blood? I would say take a chance! It’s really easy. Talk to someone who has already done it. And it will be extremely fulfilling for you. 

10. ‘Donating blood was honorable’

Kate hoped that by donating blood for the first time she could not only help someone who needed it, but inspire others to donate as well.   

What surprised you about donating blood? What surprised me was how safe it is. 

Do you have any advice for someone who is hesitant about donating blood? I would say it’s super easy and safe, and honestly really fulfilling. I feel so much better about myself. And I can’t believe it took me this long to do it for the first time. 

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Join the 450 Challenge today 

We hope hearing from these new blood donors inspires you to try donating blood yourself. You can also read more about the blood donation experience in our guide called Everything you need to know about donating blood: A guide for first-timers.  

Ready to book? There’s no time like the present! Every day this winter, we’re seeking 450 people to book their very first appointments to donate blood or plasma. You can track our daily progress, as well as book your first appointment, at blood.ca/450. And after you donate, consider inspiring others by sharing your experience on social media (#450Challenge) or on our My Story page. Together, we are Canada’s Lifeline.