Laurier employee Sammi Urbina grateful for blood donations that saved her father’s life

Nov. 27, 2023

Sammi Urbina (BKin ’18) remembers the ride to the hospital on that cold winter evening just before Christmas in 2002. She was six years old. Her older brother, Ali, sat quietly next to her in the back seat of their family vehicle as their mother drove cautiously through a heavy snowfall to be by her husband’s side.

Urbina's father, Mahmood Amir, 36, had suffered a massive heart attack. He was undergoing quadruple bypass surgery when his young family arrived at the hospital to receive life-altering news.

“The doctors told my mom to start making preliminary arrangements, as my dad wasn’t expected to make it out of the intensive care unit,” says Urbina, an alumni relations officer at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus.

Despite the speed and skill of the surgical team, Mahmood lost a significant amount of blood during surgery. He received two blood transfusions that night.

“Without the generosity of blood donors, there is zero chance my dad would have survived that very first night,” says Urbina. “If the hospital didn’t have blood available, my dad would not be here.”

Mahmood came through the surgery and defied the odds. The Amir family was told his recovery would be long and not guaranteed. They celebrated Christmas 2002 with Mahmood during his month-long stay in the intensive care unit.

“I grew up preparing for the fact that my dad would not see me experience the big milestones, like graduating high school, earning my degree, or getting married,” says Urbina. “But thanks to blood donors and the transfusions my dad received that night, he has been there for all the milestones that my brother and I hit, and he is here to tell the tale.”

Giving back in gratitude

The Amir family is passionate about bringing awareness to the life-saving role blood donors play in their communities. They give back to Canadian Blood Services as an expression of gratitude for the blood donors who helped save Mahmood’s life that night in December 2002

Urbina began donating blood as soon as she was eligible at age 17. Having O-negative blood, the universal blood type, her donations can help individuals with any blood type. Ali also gives blood.

Urbina’s mother, Clarisa, volunteered with Canadian Blood Services for several years following Mahmood’s surgery. Inspired by the kind and caring medical team who saved her husband’s life, she returned to school to pursue a nursing degree at age 47.

“I know giving blood may not be top of mind for everyone, but life can change in a split second,” says Urbina. “You or your loved one could find yourself in need of a life-saving blood transfusion. Without donors, blood is simply not available to those in need.”

Laurier’s holiday blood drive

While one in two Canadians are eligible to give blood, only one in 81 do. As a member of Canadian Blood Services’ Partners for Life program, Laurier will hold a holiday blood drive between Nov. 27 and Dec. 22 to help patients in need of life-saving blood donations.

Faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the university are invited to give as a member of Laurier’s Partners for Life team. Appointments must be booked online in advance. Donations can be made at any Canadian Blood Services’ donor centre or mobile clinic in Canada.

To get started:

• Review Canadian Blood Services’ updated donor eligibility requirements.
• Complete the online form to join Laurier’s Partners for Life team. You can also download the GiveBlood app from Google Play or the App Store and follow these simple instructions to create your account.
• Book your appointment through the GiveBlood app or online at blood.ca at a location convenient for you.

Canadian Blood Services’ Waterloo clinic is located at 94 Bridgeport Rd. E. and open during the following times:

• Monday and Wednesday: 2 to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday: 1 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In Brantford, Canadian Blood Services will hold mobile clinics on Dec. 23 and Jan. 2 at Hope Reformed Christian Church, 64 Buchanan Cres.

Other ways to support Canadian Blood Services

Not everyone can give blood. There are other ways to support Laurier’s partnership with Canadian Blood Services:

• Raise awareness about the ongoing need for blood by sharing Canadian Blood Services’ content on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
• Volunteer at your local Canadian Blood Services clinic location.
• Join the stem cell registry if you are between the ages of 17 and 35.

If you are unsure if you are eligible to donate, please visit the Canadian Blood Services eligibility page or call 1.888.2.DONATE to speak with a nurse.