Sarnia Blood Donor Clinic Closing

Sarnia's permanent blood donor clinic and three others across Canada are being closed. In a letter to Mayor Mike Bradley, Canadian Blood Services says the clinic at Bayside Mall will shut down June 1. Mobile blood donor clinics will be offered twice monthly beginning in August. Chief Supply Chain Officer Ian Mumford says there's been a steady decline in demand for blood products as healthcare systems adopt more efficient approaches to blood utilization and surgical techniques. He notes the location of the Sarnia clinic is not ideal and donations consistently have been about 20 per cent below target. Ten part-time clinic employees are impacted by the closure as well as donors and volunteers in the community. Clinics are also being closed in Prince George, British Columbia, Sydney, Nova Scotia and Corner Brook, Newfoundland.