ItB次元官网网址檚 not too often that the Canadian Blood Services donation centre in Saanich gets a visit from a hockey team.
On Saturday (Oct. 8) morning, players from the Victoria Cougars Junior Hockey Club put on their team jerseys before heading into the donation centre B次元官网网址� nearly all of them to give blood for the first time.
The idea came from Cougars team director Scott Adams, who not only organized the group donation, but inspired the young hockey players to come out and donate blood with his harrowing story.
In 2016, Adams was rushed to Victoria General Hospital in critical condition after sustaining multiple injuries in a car accident.
B次元官网网址淚 have no memory of this, but the police who accompanied me to the hospital said that by the time I got there, when they pulled the gurney out of the ambulance, blood was just pouring off the edge of this thing,B次元官网网址� he said.
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When he arrived at the hospital, around 40 bags of blood were needed to simply keep him alive. To put that number in perspective, Adams said it wouldB次元官网网址檝e required two whole hockey teams B次元官网网址� about 40 players in total B次元官网网址� to donate their blood just to save his life.
B次元官网网址淚 needed a lot of blood,B次元官网网址� he said. And thatB次元官网网址檚 assuming they all have the same blood type.
ItB次元官网网址檚 been six years since AdamsB次元官网网址� accident, and although his recovery has gone well, he still requires follow-up appointments and surgeries.
Realizing that Canadian hospitals are always in need of blood, Adams began pushing to mobilize Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 junior hockey teams to get out to the blood bank. He has even developed a habit of donating his own blood. To date, Adams has donated his blood a remarkable 44 times over the six years following his accident.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 in you to give,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 keep saying it because it is. And itB次元官网网址檚 not something that you give and you never get back. You just make more. ItB次元官网网址檚 kind of a renewable resource.B次元官网网址�
Cougars forward Monty Moreau, who isnB次元官网网址檛 exactly a fan of needles, said he felt particularly nervous as he waited to donate blood for the very first time in his life.
But despite his unease, the 19-year-old said he wanted to support a good cause after learning of AdamB次元官网网址檚 near-death experience. B次元官网网址淭he boys are doing it, so I am too,B次元官网网址� Moreau said. B次元官网网址淚f my blood can help someone, thatB次元官网网址檚 most important.B次元官网网址�
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Do you have a story tip? Email: austin.westphal@saanichnews.com.
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