#CanadasLifeline
On March 29th some of the team and Sharon went to Scarborough (Warden) Canadian Blood Services clinic to donate blood.
As a first time blood donor, this was Sharon’s second attempt to donate. Tribal’s first group donation was in December 2023 up at Hillcrest Mall, but Sharon’s on-the-spot hemoglobin testing that day showed she was just under the minimum threshold required to donate (<0.2g/L).
Lesson learned: this year she loaded up on beef brisket, spinach and liver the week prior, and her test results came back as +10g/L over the minimum required! Staff guided her through the process, professionally and painlessly expediting the actual donation.
Mission completed, Tribal gathered in the recovery area to chat and hang out while the professional clinic staff monitored the team for any symptoms from their donations. One teammate is a regular plasma donor, a process that takes longer (up to an hour), but removes less overall, allowing one to donate as frequently as once every seven days!
As a blood donation can have an impact on athletic performance, Sharon’s commitment to Tribal means the next team donation will be scheduled after regattas in September. Going early in the fall will allow the team an opportunity to donate again early 2026, well before the next paddling season starts.
As of June 17, 2025, this is what Canada’s national supply of blood products is:
Anything we can do to contribute to that to help our neighbours is a good thing – contact Sharon today to join the Tribal Blood Donors group!