How students can save lives while competing for scholarships this summer

Published: June 24, 2024

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Man standing with arms crossed in a laboratory

With the Assignment Saving Lives Scholarship Program, recruit donors to win up to $6500 toward your 2024-2025 tuition

Are you starting or continuing post-secondary studies in the 2024-2025 school year? You can help us recruit donors this summer, for a chance to win up to $6500 in scholarship prizes. 

Assignment Saving Lives is open to students across Canada except Quebec residents. The contest period begins June 24, 2024, but you have until July 31, 2024 to both register and finish the online orientation. The contest period ends Sept. 7, 2024.   

How do I get started?

Step 1: Check out the Assignment Saving Lives page and decide if you’d like to recruit donors of blood components (blood, plasma and platelets) or stem cells, or if you’d like to compete in both contests. You can also contact assignment@blood.ca with questions.   

You can recruit donors close to home, or across the country outside Quebec. Anyone over age 17 may be eligible to donate blood, plasma or platelets, but the stem cell registry is only open to those aged 17-35.  

Step 2: Click “Register here” at the bottom of the Assignment Saving Lives page. It takes less than a minute to register to compete.  

Step 3: You will receive a link to training videos, with details about how the program works and how to recruit. We encourage you to finish this online training before the program start date, but you have until July 31, 2024. We’ll also give you access to materials and messaging to help you with recruiting in-person or online.  

Step 4: Start recruiting! For those recruiting donors of blood components, you’ll be assigned a team ID. When your recruits use that ID to book to donate between June 24, 2024 and Sept. 7, 2024 inclusive, they will count toward your contest total (as long as they keep their appointments). Your recruits are counted just once, even if they donate multiple times during the contest period. 

Recruiting for the stem cell registry? You’ll meet virtually with a program rep before you begin. Then you’ll get registration kits with QR codes. Eligible people who register with your kits and codes are added to your contest total. Your recruits will find completing the registration kit is easy and painless.  

Note that a recruit may not be matched to a patient to donate stem cells for months or years, if ever. Joining the registry signals a willingness to donate if matched, as a life may depend on it.   

How do I win? 

Bottom line: the more people you recruit, the better your odds of winning. Up to 61 scholarships will be awarded, between various prizes for top recruiters and others awarded by random draw. Links to the full contest rules (with more info about prize amounts) are available on the Assignment Saving Lives page.    

Some prizes are for top recruiters of new donors — people booking and keeping their first appointment to donate blood, plasma or platelets at one of our centres. Overall, we need 100,000 new donors each year to keep Canada’s Lifeline strong, and you can help!    

Did you know we are also working to build a more diverse donor base? Learn more about why. Your recruits of all backgrounds will help us provide the best care for all patients in need. 

Meet the top Assignment Saving Lives recruiter from last year 

Saeid Maghsoudi, seen in the photo at the top of this article, received the top award for Assignment Saving Lives in 2023, after recruiting 67 donors — including eight new donors. He’s an international student from Iran who is pursuing a doctorate in health sciences in Winnipeg, Man. 

Saeid’s strategy included using social media platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp. He organized group donations to make donating fun and social. He also worked to dispel myths about donating, such as that donating blood makes you sick. 

“Raising awareness, dispelling myths about donating, and building relationships are crucial in making a difference,” says Saeid, whose wife — also a PhD student — joined Assignment Saving Lives as well. “Students have great networking and communication skills. They can share their experiences and encourage others.”

His advice for this year’s participants? “Don’t just focus on the money. Focus on helping people. Good things will come from it.” 

Good things came for Saeid as well as patients. The scholarship money “helped me focus on my research, which can change lives,” he says. “It also improved my mental health by reducing financial stress.” 

Inspired to take the plunge? Visit the Assignment Saving Lives page to register and start your summer of recruitment. And check out the links below to learn more about the stem cell registry and blood and plasma donation. You can share these with your recruits, too! Together, we are Canada’s Lifeline. 