Syrian Refugees to donate blood New Years Day
Posted Dec 30, 2017 3:03 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Some Syrian refugees in Calgary will be spending New Year’s Day giving back to Canadians.
The Calgary Immigrant Support Society organized the Syrian Newcomers Blood Drive and has filled all fifty appointments at the Eau Claire Market clinic on January 1, which is the hardest day to get donations.
Co-founder Sam Nammoura said this is an important gesture.
“Canada has done so much, Canadians done so much, volunteers done so much and this is really some of the way to show their appreciation to the country that saved them when everybody pretty much turned their back on them.”
Nammoura adds this has been in the works since June when they approached Canadian Blood Services to organize a nation wide blood drive but they didn’t have all the resources in place to do it earlier in the year. Now other cities are following our lead.
“So many newcomers in other cities have already started planning their blood drives so in Edmonton and Mississauga.”
He hopes this will inspire others to give.
“The idea is to promote the culture of blood donations throughout the community not only for the newcomers but to invite and provoke other people as well to pay attention to this important matter that effects us all.”
Those who would like to donate can make an appointment online at Blood.ca/Donate or though the GiveBlood app.
