LHSC and St. Joseph’s announce new step to save and change lives

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
March 27, 2012

Each hospital has set a corporate blood donation target

(LONDON, Ontario) – London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s) are pleased to announce they have both joined the Canadian Blood Services’ “Partners for Life” program. As members of this program, each hospital is demonstrating a commitment to saving lives by setting an annual target for blood donation units, and encouraging their respective staff, volunteers and physicians to help in reaching those goals.

The need for blood products in the city of London is ongoing, and patients undergoing treatment for illnesses and injuries such as cancer, surgery, and trauma depend on a stable supply of blood year round. Nearly every single blood donation collected in the London region is used to treat patients at LHSC and St. Joseph’s.

"We hope that LHSC’s involvement with the Partners for Life program helps to underscore the importance of blood donation, while helping to replenish the blood supply that our health care providers rely upon in order to care for the most medically complex and critically ill patients in our region,” says Bonnie Adamson, LHSC President and Chief Executive Officer. “The commitment of our staff, physicians and volunteers to continue their tradition of caring beyond the hospital walls demonstrates LHSC’s vision of extraordinary people creating exceptional experiences through engaging partnerships.”

As this is the first year for both hospitals’ involvement with the Partners for Life program, blood donation targets have been set at a low baseline number to better determine next year’s total. LHSC is aiming to collect 85 units of blood, and St. Joseph’s goal is 50 units.

"Partners for Life is yet another way for St. Joseph’s to live our mission to minimize the effects of injury, disease and disability and build partnerships that create a better health care system,” says Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s. “Together, LHSC and St. Joseph’s give life and help to put the living back into life. Working with Canadian Blood Services extends our reach and is an excellent opportunity to be part of and give back to our community.”

Partners for Life is a nationwide program designed for corporate and community organizations. “We are so pleased to have our two health care organizations in the city of London act as champions for this program,” says Judy Compton, Director, Donor & Clinic Services Southern Ontario for Canadian Blood Services. “As members, LHSC and St. Joseph’s will play an important role in increasing awareness of the need for blood and encouraging their staff to make a strong and lasting commitment to blood donation.”

About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been in the forefront of medicine in Canada for 137 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, South Street Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, a joint research initiative with St. Joseph’s Health Care London. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 50 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca

About St. Joseph’s Health Care London
St. Joseph’s Health Care, London is a major patient care, teaching and research centre with a distinguished legacy of service to London, Southwestern Ontario and the veterans of Canada, dating back more than 130 years. St. Joseph’s five key role areas include acute/ambulatory care, complex care and veterans care, long-term care, rehabilitation and specialized geriatrics and specialized mental health care. Facilities and services including St. Joseph’s Hospital, Parkwood Hospital, Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care and Regional Mental Health Care London and St. Thomas are part of the St. Joseph’s family. Our research arm, the Lawson Health Research Institute, continues to direct their research to the development of new knowledge that is continually being applied directly to patient care. Every year, nearly 600,000 patient visits are made to St. Joseph’s, where about 9,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care. St. Joseph’s is affiliated with the University of Western Ontario.

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