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Canadian Blood Services’ rules need to be relaxed

It was good to see so many donors showed up to respond to the recent appeal for blood by Canadian Blood Services.

To the Editor,

Re: Blood donors thanked, Letters, July 26.

It was good to see so many donors showed up to respond to the recent appeal for blood by Canadian Blood Services.

I hadn’t donated for over 30 years and I convinced my daughter to come with me for an excellent cause. Our offer to give blood was refused.

I am originally from England and the form we both were asked to complete had a question that when answered truthfully, made our blood unacceptable: “Have you cumulatively spent more than 90 days in England in the last 25 years.

I have never spent more than three weeks at one time, but cumulatively, we both had. I have been back numerous times visiting family and friends during the 40 years I have lived in Canada.

Mad cow disease was found in Britain in 1986 and stringent measures were taken in North America – rightly so – to prevent it ‘crossing the pond.’

However, surely this policy by the Canadian Blood Services needs to be revisited. To refuse our blood because I might have spent one per cent of my time in England in the last 25 years is ridiculous.

Ian AndexserNanaimo