OCNews

Okanagan College nursing student Taylor Hubick learned a valuable lesson this year: persistence with plasma donation pays off.

Hubick is the recipient of the Canadian Blood Services bursary of $3,000 for her studies in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, for recruiting 23 plasma donors between May and October last year.

Hubick says she originally got recruited to donate by a friend who was studying on Vancouver Island.

“She pulled out of the challenge because she was going travelling, and that’s when I realized I should do the challenge. It worked out to my benefit,” she says. “I started using word of mouth, and I basically annoyed every single one of my friends and family members.”

She set up group sessions so people could donate together, and made it an event that friends and family could connect over.

Hubick, a rehabilitation assistant at Kelowna General Hospital, completed the Therapy Assistant Diploma program out of high school. She decided to go into the BSN program to further her health-care career after working alongside nurses for several years. It was in the hospital where she learned how vital blood and plasma donations can be.

“Where I work, I see people that need blood transfusions daily. One shift on the trauma floor shows you the need. They also use plasma donations for cancer treatments and research. Plasma donation saves lives and is so important,” Hubick explains.

Canadian Blood Services offered the bursary program to encourage students to recruit plasma donors for the chance to receive as much as $3,000 towards post-secondary studies. Students enrolled in a post-secondary education program in Canada were asked to motivate and recruit at least 15 others to book an appointment and show up at a plasma donor centre in a given timeframe.

“Taylor can be proud of her dedication to Canada’s Lifeline. She is an absolute inspiration to others in her community. We hope others take her lead to make all the difference by booking an appointment to donate plasma,” says Janna Pantella, local business development manager with Canadian Blood Services.

Download the GiveBlood app, call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) or visit blood.ca to book your plasma donation appointment at the Kelowna plasma donor centre at 2271 Harvey Avenue (at Orchard Park shopping centre; access from the exterior entrance facing Springfield Road). Plasma donated in Kelowna is made into lifesaving medications for patients in Canada — many have no other treatment option.