Ottawa, ON
December 3, 2014
Check against delivery
Thank you, Ted, and thank you, Leah, for hosting us tonight. Good evening everyone. I am pleased that so many of you could join us for this wonderful reception and I am delighted to have Doug, Joanne and Mackenzie Curran here with us.
We're all here, of course, because we know how vital it is to give blood, especially around the holidays.
As Ted mentioned, this afternoon we were at the Blood Clinic, with Laureen Harper rolling up our sleeves and giving blood.
It didn't take long - and as I sat there, I wondered, who would be receiving our blood? Would it be someone's child, maybe a person who's fighting a disease, or a victim of a car accident?
Whether or not it's someone you know, you can't help but come away feeling that your donation is going to make a significant difference in somebody's life.
More than half of Canadians say that they or a family member have needed blood or blood products for surgery or for medical treatment.
Did you know it takes up to 50 donors to help save just one person seriously hurt in a car crash, up to five donors to save someone who needs cardiovascular surgery, and up to eight donors a week to help someone undergoing treatment for leukemia?
Like blood donations, organ and tissue donation is a unique health issue in the sense that we all have an opportunity to make a difference.
Today there are more than 4,500 Canadians are waiting for an organ transplant, a number that increases every year. Each donor has the potential to save up to eight lives and improve the lives of up to 75 people.
Earlier this fall, I had the pleasure of announcing $10.7 million over three years to Canadian Blood Services to help continue our joint efforts with the provinces and territories to strengthen the organ and tissue donation and transplantation system across Canada.
This funding supports the vital work being carried out by the provinces and territories through Canadian Blood Services, increasing the public's access to life-saving and life-enhancing organs and tissues.
We know that raising awareness about this issue and motivating Canadians to get involved can make the greatest impact.
That's why last year myself, Laureen Harper, MP Albrecht and double-lung transplant recipient Hélène Campbell and I launched the social media campaign #GiftOfLife and my Department, Health Canada, added an organ and tissue donation outreach page to our website.
This page includes statistics and information about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
It also includes an interactive map that links Canadians to the appropriate donation authority in their province or territory, so they can take that important step of registering their decision.
There are many champions of blood, organ and tissue donation, including my friend David Foster who raises millions of dollars every year to support families with children in need of a transplant.
In closing, I would like to join my colleagues in encouraging you and all Canadians to roll up their sleeves and start one of the easiest but most important traditions this holiday season-to give blood!
It's easy to do. The lifesaving power of blood donations is the best gift you can give to help the millions of patients every year like Mackenzie.
Through acts of generosity, you will be bringing hope to potentially tragic stories. And while the beneficiaries of your goodwill may not know who you are, rest assured that they are eternally grateful for what you have done.
Thank you.
