Inauguration of the PLASMAVIE-GLOBULE centre - 50 more donors invited to roll up their sleeve every day

GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Héma-Québec is making the most of the ceremonies highlighting the start of the activities of the PLASMAVIE Plasma Donor Lounge and the GLOBULE Blood Donor Centre in Gatineau to launch a new appeal to blood donors in the greater Gatineau region.

This is the second PLASMAVIE Plasma Donor Lounge to include a GLOBULE space in Québec. The PLASMAVIE centres were created to enable Héma-Québec to increase its plasma sufficiency rate and, as a result, reduce its foreign procurement for this product. "This centre is able to welcome 85 plasma and blood donors every day. The challenge is a major one but, over the past year, 64 blood drives were organized in the Outaouais region and 92% of the objectives were attained. This is a most remarkable performance that leads us to believe that donors will respond to this appeal in large numbers," explained Serge Maltais, President and CEO of Héma-Québec.

While it is possible to make a blood donation in the GLOBULE space in the same way as at a blood drive, the PLASMAVIE Plasma Donor Lounge primarily collects plasma, using the technique of apheresis. This type of donation is made using a device that receives the blood, separates it into its various components and returns the components that are not selected to the donor. In other words, this technique entails collecting plasma in a selective manner. The frequency of this type of donation is much greater than for a whole blood donation. Plasma can be donated by apheresis every six days, up to 50 times a year, whereas whole blood can only be donated every 56 days, namely six times a year.

The centre required an investment of close to $3 million and received support from the Développement économique – CLD Gatineau.

"The population and the Ville de Gatineau have always supported the cause of blood donation. The arrival of a Héma-Québec facility here is great news in terms of economic development, but it also demonstrates our collective capacity to actively support the gift of life," said Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, Mayor of Gatineau.

Give plasma. Give life.

Plasma is the liquid component of blood that contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The plasma collected in Gatineau will be used to manufacture plasma protein solutions such as those received by little Leksia, at the age of two months; she is now one year old. "My daughter received transfusions and immunoglobulins, proteins that are present in plasma. For my husband, it was completely natural for him to become a plasma donor and give back, "explained Kassandra Michon.

For more information about this centre, consult the information sheets included with the press release or visit www.plasmavie.ca.

About Héma-Québec

Héma-Québec's mission is to efficiently meet the needs of the Québec population for safe, optimal-quality blood and blood products, human tissues, cord blood, mother's milk and cellular products; and to develop and provide expertise and specialized, innovative services in the field of human biological products.

Héma-Québec encompasses 1,300 employees, over 300,000 donor visits to blood drives per year, 16,000 volunteers and more than 500,000 blood products delivered annually to Québec hospitals to meet the needs of patients.

Give blood. Give life.

SOURCE Héma-Québec

Héma-Québec, Media line: 514 832-0871, www.hema-quebec.qc.ca