11 Days of Giving - Day 5 - Canadian Blood Services
EDMONTON, AB – The Concordia University of Edmonton Department of Athletics & Recreation highlights Day 5 of the Thunder’s 11 Days of Giving campaign, as the student-athletes and teams have come together during this holiday season to give back to our community.
The Women’s Soccer team partnered with Canadian Blood Services to help organize blood donations across their team, family, and friends. The student-athletes were happy to roll up their sleeves for this cause, one that was near and dear to Head Coach Franco Imbrogno. Imbrogno recently lost his father to cancer, but spoke positively of his experience with CBS, stating “Blood is a gift that saves lives. I walked alongside my father during his cancer care and the platelets he received proved miraculous throughout the journey. Not only did it give him the energy required for everyday functioning, but it provided him and the family with hope and whoever has hope has everything.”.
Monica Dickson, a 3rd year keeper on the women’s soccer team wanted to make an impact in Edmonton, and thought this was the perfect way to do that. Reflecting on why the team selected Canadian Blood Services, Dickson said “We wanted to give back in a way that supports the lives that make up our community. With every donation comes the reward of knowing you helped save someone who maybe isn’t directly connected to you but someone who is very special to someone else. There is a reason the heart is filled with red, in order to fill yourself up with love, give a little blood.”.
Edmonton still needs almost 1300 blood donors to meet demands through the last couple weeks of December. While traditional blood drives are not possible right now due to the COVID pandemic, individuals can still make appointments online to come in and donate. Nicole Russell, Territory Manager, Donor Relations for Canadian Blood Services stated “Donating blood or plasma during COVID-19 is less social than a traditional holiday activity but a way to connect with your community in a safe way. By booking appointments to donate blood this holiday season, the members of the Concordia Women’s Soccer team and their friends and family are truly saving lives, and that is the greatest gift they can give! Canadian Blood Services is recognized as an essential service by the provinces and territories during this pandemic. Every donation counts. The demand for blood, plasma and stem cell donors never stops. Not all connections can be virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic.”.
Additional information for Canadian Blood Services can be found at https://www.blood.ca/en.
More about the Thunder 11 Days of Giving Campaign:
With all of the struggles of the world in 2020, the student-athletes, coaches, and staff of the Thunder Department of Athletics & Recreation wanted to take this time of pause to get involved in our local community, and make it a better place right in time for the holidays. The 11 Days of Giving campaign challenged all of our student-athletes and teams to find a unique way to take advantage of this gift of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and find a way to help those who need it most around us.