Blood donor clinic in Dalhousie comes to an end
After 65 years of rolling up their sleeves, Wednesday was the end of an era for blood donors in Dalhousie, N.B.
The town is losing its only blood clinic, one that has been well-attended for decades, despite a downturn in the local population.
Between Dalhousie and nearby Campbellton, the clinics average 150 people at each event.
But both are being cut by Canadian Blood Services because it's too expensive to send staff and equipment to the mobile sites.
Four decade career
The co-ordinator of the clinics for the past four decades said it wasn't a sad day, but rather a celebration.
"It's our way of saying thank you to the donors for being so faithful all those years," said June Harquail. "I want them to go home, and I don't have to tell them because they feel it already, I want them to know we realize the difference they made, and all the good feelings they left when they left this building."
Donors that have attended the small clinic said they have always been treated well.
"They make you comfortable, they make you laugh, they change your idea," said Marie-Pier Leroux. "In Bathurst there's more people so maybe they can't concentrate on you as much as they do here."
90-kilometre trip
Anyone who wants to donate blood in the future will have to go the closest clinic, 90 kilometres away in Bathurst.
"If they're travelling there and travelling back, I can only see donations decreasing because of that," said Paul Cameron, a 65-time donor.
Canadian Blood Services officials said even without the Campbellton and Dalhousie clinics, they will have enough blood to meet demand.
But they won't have June Harquail anymore.
After four decades of involvement, she won't be making the hour-long trip to Bathurst to help with the clinic there.
Instead, she said she'll focus her time and efforts on projects in her own community of Dalhousie.
