Ethnic diversity is critical to meet patient needs
Although donors from all backgrounds are needed to keep Canada’s Lifeline strong, people who are of diverse Asian, African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Indigenous ancestry, as well as those of mixed ancestry, are uniquely positioned to help save the lives of people from their own communities.
Ethnic diversity is critical within the supplies of blood, stem cells and organs and tissues. Some people with complex and ongoing blood product needs require specially matched blood products that often come from donors of similar ethnic background or ancestry.
We won’t be able to continue to meet the needs of these individuals without a donor and registrant base that reflects Canada’s ethnically diverse population.
Community conversations about diversity in Canada’s Lifeline
By initiating a conversation about blood and plasma donation with your friends, family members and neighbours, you can help raise awareness about the importance of ethnic diversity in supporting better patient outcomes.
Join us, as we spark these critical community conversations with patients, donors, doctors, and community champions.
Episode 1: “You’re worth the fear”
Charles and Visaree discuss why more Black donors are needed for people living with sickle cell disease.
Episode 2: “One of me to give to three”
Long-time friends Julie and Nicola share their reason for donating and why more mixed race donors are needed.
Episode 3: “Liquid Gold”
Duane and Natasha discuss having conversations with family members about blood and plasma donation.
Episode 4: “Donation is for everyone”
Akash and Imrun talk about understanding the eligibility criteria for blood and plasma donation.
How diversity plays a role in the blood supply
At Canadian Blood Services, what we do matters — and ethnic diversity is critical to everything we do.
Building a donor and registrant base that reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of Canada is essential to ensuring everyone has reliable access to safe, high-quality blood, plasma, stem cells, organs and tissues.
Blood and ethnic diversity
Markers on red blood cells determine a person’s blood type. Your blood type is inherited, so having a donor base that is ethnically diverse improves the chances that people of all ethnicities will find a close match. Recipients with complex needs have better outcomes if they receive blood from people with similar markers.
Platelets and ethnic diversity
Platelets are the main component of blood that helps with clotting. In rare cases, newborns and adults with low platelet counts need highly selected or “matched” platelets to prevent or treat life-threatening bleeding. There’s only a 1 in 10,000 chance (or less) of finding a match among donors who don’t share a similar ethnic background or ancestry.
Stem cells and ethnic diversity
Stem cell donors and recipients are matched according to inherited DNA markers called human leukocyte antigens (HLA). The HLA markers occur with varying frequency across different ethnic groups — which means that if someone belongs to an ethnic group that’s underrepresented in the stem cell registry, their chances of finding a match are much lower. While not always the case, the most likely match will be an unrelated donor of similar ethnic background or ancestry.
Organs, tissues and ethnic diversity
Although donated organs are not matched according to ethnicity, similar ancestry does increase the chances of donors and recipients having blood types and tissue markers in common. Matched ethnicity between donors and recipients is particularly important when it comes to kidney transplantation.
Plasma and ethnic diversity
Plasma is the straw-coloured component of blood that is used to make lifesaving medications; it’s also used for transfusions. While ethnic diversity is less important when it comes to matching plasma donors and patients, we need more donors from all ethnic backgrounds to help secure Canada’s plasma supply.
In some cases, people who aren’t able to donate blood or platelets — including those who have had malaria — may be able to donate plasma.
Ways to donate
Becoming a regular blood or plasma donor is one important way to ensure that life essentials continue to be available to those in need.
Various factors are used to determine whether a person is able to donate blood or plasma at any given time. We encourage everyone to check their eligibility, as there may be times when it’s not possible to donate. Donor eligibility can change over time, however, so even if you can’t donate blood or plasma today, you may be able to do so in the future.
There are so many ways to join Canada’s Lifeline and make all the difference for people in your community and across Canada.
All ways to donate:
Download and share all ways to participate in Canada’s Lifeline with your community