Lifelong Fergus resident Sandi Wittich remembers Aug. 29, 1987 like it was yesterday.
On that day, she was involved in a hit and run accident caused by truck hitting her car head-on.
The hood of her car came through her windshield, slicing open her head. She lost a lot of blood and wasn’t expected to make it through the first night.
As it took several blood donors to save Wittich’s life, she wanted to give back to others by donating blood.
Wittich made her first blood donation in August 2015 and is encouraging other Fergus residents to give donating a try, even if they haven’t done it before.
“Donating blood wasn’t something that was top of mind before my accident,” said Wittich,
“I didn’t realize just how often people need blood. Now I try to donate as often as I can. It is just one small uncomfortable prick, and I can literally save someone’s life.”
The upcoming Fergus blood donor clinic on Dec. 24 is a very important clinic, since it is right before the holiday season starts.
Because platelets, a component of blood, only have a shelf life of five days, Canadian Blood Services must hold clinics throughout the holiday season to ensure there is enough blood supply.
Many donors are busy at this time with the regular holiday hustle and bustle, but making a donation at this clinic might be the most impactful one made all year, due to the limited availability of blood and people to donate during the holiday season.
Wittich is encouraging Fergus residents to incorporate giving blood into their holiday celebrations and asking them to give blood on Dec. 24 from 9:30am to 1:30pm at the Fergus Sportsplex to help fill more than 100 open appointments.
To book an appointment, locate a clinic, check eligibility and more, visit blood.ca.
