On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, the 43rd annual Canadiens Blood Drive is set to take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The event, organized in collaboration with Héma-Québec, is expected to welcome around 750 donors from 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the main entrance, which is located on avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal.

Various organization members including current players, coaches, Youppi! and Canadiens Alumni will be present all day to express gratitude for the fans’ generosity. This large-scale blood donation drive, organized with RDS’s assistance, aims to gather a substantial number of blood units to keep the communal reserve at an ideal level. Héma-Québec needs to collect a minimum of 1,000 blood donations daily to effectively cater to the requirements of all provincial hospitals.

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.

The Canadiens Blood Drive, launched in 1981 by Montreal Canadiens icon Jean Béliveau and Claude Mouton, a former sports commentator and announcer at the Montreal Forum, has yielded 38,147 blood donations to date. The Montreal Canadiens have been coordinating their blood drive with Héma-Québec, Quebec’s sole blood product supplier, since 1998. Over its 42 year history, the Canadiens Blood Drive has contributed to saving nearly 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

Multiple safety precautions have been implemented at collection sites to protect donors, staff, and volunteers. As part of these measures, an obligatory electronic search will be conducted upon entering the Bell Centre. In adherence to NHL security policies, items such as backpacks, sports bags, laptop bags or any large bags are prohibited within the premises.

While we recognize that numerous fans view this event as a chance to interact with the players, snap photos, and secure autographs, its primary aim is to gather blood donations to assist Héma-Québec in fulfilling the requirements of the Quebec populace. Consequently, any individual not planning on donating blood will be denied entry to the Bell Centre.

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 committed to fulfilling the needs of Québec’s population for blood and other high-quality human-origin biological products in an effective manner. With a 1,900-strong workforce, Héma-Québec boasts over 200,000 donors who provide blood, plasma, stem cells, mothers’ milk, and human tissue, in addition to numerous volunteers who assist at blood drive locations. Each year, Héma-Québec supplies Québec hospitals with roughly 800,000 biological products derived from humans, ensuring patient needs are met.