After completing 400e Donating blood on Friday, Martin Toussinant, who lives in Outois, hopes to reach 500 donations by the time he turns 60, and eventually, 1,000.
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“I am aiming for 500 before the age of 60 in three years. I give an average of 40 times a year. I am going for 1000,” said Mr. announced Toussinant.
The fifty-year-old has been donating blood since she was 19 and doesn’t hesitate to take her children from a young age.
“I used to take my kids to clinics when they were very young and they would come and get snacks, and they loved it, and then they always saw what I was giving out,” she added.
Her son Jacob is also 5 years olde Dada. “I see my father who has been doing it since he was young and it inspires me a lot, I see it satisfies him and it satisfies me a lot,” he said.
Young donors are extremely rare in clinics, where donors are often over 50 years old.
Hema-Québec introduces an appeal to young people between the ages of 18 and 30. According to the organization, young donors come forward through word of mouth and parental encouragement.
Awareness is also being created in schools. This is what brought Jade and Philip together on Friday.
“I think giving has a bigger impact than we think. There are people who need this gift to function day to day,” said the young woman.
“The feeling of pride after donating blood is indescribable,” said Philip.
According to Héma-Québec, only 3% of the under-age population donates, so raising awareness is important because the needs are great.
“We also have special needs for people with group O, negative and positive, and group B negative,” explained Josie Larivie, spokesperson for Héma-Québec.
Check out the evidence in the video above.
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