The Bell Centre in Montreal is set to host the 43rd annual Canadiens Blood Drive on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. This event, organized jointly with Héma-Québec, anticipates around 750 donors from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the main entrance on avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal.

Members of the organization, such as current players, coaches, Youppi!, and Canadiens Alumni, will be present throughout the day to express gratitude for the fans’ generosity. The main goal of this large-scale blood donation clinic, in partnership with RDS, is to gather numerous blood units to sustain the collective reserve at an ideal level. Héma-Québec requires a minimum of 1,000 blood donations daily to adequately cater to the demands of all hospitals in the province.

Those wishing to come roll up their sleeve during the Canadiens Blood Drive are invited to make an appointment now by visiting jedonne.hema-quebec.qc.ca or by calling 1-800-343-7264. Reserving your time slot in advance is strongly recommended in order to allow for better management of visitors and reduce wait times, which will result in faster screening process and actual donation. However, walk-ins will also be accommodated on the day of, as space allows.

Most adults in good health can give blood and help save up to three lives. Before registering or attending a blood drive, it is important for donors to first verify whether they meet all eligibility conditions by consulting the “Who can donate?” section on Héma-Québec’s website or by contacting the Donor Centre at 1-800-847-2525.

In 1981, the Canadiens Blood Drive was started by Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Béliveau and Claude Mouton, who was a former sports commentator and announcer at the Montreal Forum. To date, the initiative has gathered 38,147 blood donations. The Montreal Canadiens have been coordinating their blood drive with Héma-Québec, Quebec’s sole supplier of blood products, since 1998. In its 42-year history, the Canadiens Blood Drive has contributed to saving approximately 114,441 lives.

REMINDER

• WHAT? Canadiens Blood Drive
• WHEN? Wednesday, October 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• WHO? Canadiens players, Canadiens coaches, Canadiens Alumni, Youppi!
• WHERE? Bell Centre
  • Main entrance: 1909, avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal
  • Metro station: Bonaventure or Lucien-L’Allier
  • Paid parking: 1275, rue Saint-Antoine Ouest

IMPORTANT REMINDERS TO DONORS

To guarantee the safety of donors, staff, and volunteers at collection sites, several safety measures have been implemented. One such measure requires an obligatory electronic search upon entering the Bell Centre. Furthermore, in accordance with NHL security policies, the entry of backpacks, sports bags, laptop bags, or any large bags is strictly prohibited within the building.

While we appreciate that many fans view this event as a chance to interact with players, snap photos and secure autographs, the primary aim is still to gather blood donations to assist Héma-Québec in fulfilling the needs of the Quebec community. Consequently, entry to the Bell Centre will be denied to anyone who doesn’t plan on donating blood.

To learn more about our policy for accompanying persons or to find out how to get to the Bell Centre and all the safety regulations applicable inside the amphitheatre, please consult canadiens.com/blood.

ABOUT HÉMA-QUÉBEC

Héma-Québec is tasked with ensuring the Québec population’s needs for blood and other top-quality biological products of human origin are met effectively. The organization boasts a workforce of 1,900, in addition to more than 200,000 donors who contribute blood, plasma, stem cells, mothers’ milk, and human tissue. Héma-Québec also relies on the help of thousands of volunteers at blood drive locations. Each year, the organization supplies close to 800,000 biological products derived from humans to hospitals in Québec to cater to the requirements of patients.