Teen organizes massive blood drive, hoping for over 500 donors

A teen on Montreal's South Shore organized a massive blood drive at her high school.

A blood drive on Montreal’s South Shore on Friday was one of the largest for Hema Quebec and the high school student who organized it isn’t even old enough to be a donor.

College Durocher Saint-Lambert student Alexandra Roberts is 14 years old and was hoping for 500 donors on Friday.

“For the people that can and are in the good health situation to do it, I think it’s important to give to the people that need it,” said the Grade 8 student.

Heme Quebec holds more than 2,000 blood drives across the province each year, with around 400 of them in schools like the one in Saint-Lambert.

Roberts’ goal is no small feat, according to Hema Quebec spokesperson Josee Larivee.

“So 500 donations within a day is a lot of organization,” she said. “The kids have been working very hard to put cards in town, to talk about blood donation to their parents and to their grandparents.”

Roberts said she’s seen family members go through health scares, which inspired her to give back.

She hopes to beat the Montreal Canadiens blood drive from the fall, which surpassed 700 donors.

“But I’m pretty sure we can beat them because of all the students and all the people, the community,” she said.

Larivee said that with summer around the corner, donations will soon slow down.

“If you’re around in vacation somewhere in Quebec, you can always check, because we may be in Quebec, may be in the region you’re visiting, and you can, make an appointment,” she said.

Giving blood only takes about an hour from start to finish, and Roberts said it’s a small price to pay to give back and maybe save a life.

“It could be you tomorrow, even if you don’t know it today,” she said.