Laurier student Mackenzie Schuler gives blood to honour grandfather’s example and donors who saved her best friend’s life

June 13, 2024

Last September, Wilfrid Laurier University student Mackenzie Schuler almost lost her best friend, who was rushed into emergency surgery and required several units of blood.   

Schuler’s friend is alive and well today thanks to donors who gave the life-saving gift of blood.  

Below, Schuler, a fifth-year Psychology student at Laurier’s Waterloo campus, shares her personal journey as a blood donor and the important role student donors play in supporting Canadian Blood Services.  

When did you become a blood donor and why?  

I became a blood donor as soon as I turned 17, which is the minimum age requirement established by Canadian Blood Services. My grandfather, Wally, inspired me to start giving. He donated blood throughout his life, but when I was about 12 years old, he underwent quadruple bypass surgery and was prescribed blood thinners. Because of this, he is no longer eligible to donate. As soon as my brother and I turned 17, we began donating blood together to honour our grandpa. My brother and I do our best to donate together as often as possible. To date, I have made 11 donations.  

Giving blood is an impactful way to support your community. Why is it important to you to give back in this way?  

I am really honoured to donate in place of my grandpa after his surgery. Surgical patients can require blood transfusions and I am so grateful to the blood donors who saved my best friend’s life last fall. Her emergency surgery was long and complicated. She lost over two litres of blood and it took at least four donors to save her life. She would not have made it through that surgery without the blood donations she received. I will forever be thankful that those people donated. I continue to donate knowing that my donation could save someone’s life.   

You’re a member of the student club Get Swabbed at Laurier. Tell us about the club, its mission and impact. 

I joined Get Swabbed at Laurier during my first year and have gradually taken on leadership roles since. I am now in my second year as club president.  

Get Swabbed at Laurier aims to diversify Canada’s stem cell registry and encourages students to donate blood if they are eligible. As a club, we have recruited many potential donors for the stem cell registry through on-campus cheek-swabbing events and have coordinated group blood drives for Laurier students. We host four stem cell drives a year and multiple group blood donation opportunities. Many students are not aware of the need for blood and stem cell donations, so we aim to educate Laurier’s student population about the importance of donating and the life-changing impact individuals can make by doing so. 

Why should postsecondary students care about becoming a blood donor or joining Canada’s stem cell registry?  

Giving blood is a quick and easy way to do something good for the community. New donors are critical to keeping local and national inventories healthy.  

In Canada, 50 per cent of the population will need blood or knows someone who will need blood at some point in their life. However, only four per cent of Canadians give blood. The need for blood never stops – it is used for ongoing medical treatments, surgeries and emergency situations. It can take eight donors per week to help a leukemia patient during treatment and multiple transfusions can be needed for emergency medical situations and trauma care.  

Joining Canadian Blood Services’ stem cell registry is also an easy and impactful way to give back. Stem cells are miraculous components of blood that can develop into red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, and can be transplanted to help patients in their fight against certain cancers and other diseases. Currently, more than 900 people in Canada are waiting for a stem cell transplant. People between 17 and 35 can join the stem cell registry, which makes postsecondary students an eligible audience.  

The stem cell registry lacks diversity among its donor base and patients are more likely to find a stem cell match from someone who shares their ethnicity. Laurier is a diverse community, and students have an excellent opportunity to be someone’s life-saving stem cell match. 

What do you want students to know about giving blood or joining the stem cell registry? 

The first time I gave blood, I was nervous. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Thankfully, the staff members at Canadian Blood Services were extremely welcoming and took the time to explain the process to me. My first appointment took the longest — I was in the clinic for an hour — but every appointment afterwards took less than 30 minutes.  

Giving blood and joining the stem cell registry are beautiful gifts for those in need. Thank you to all those who have donated blood or stem cells. Whether you donated once or 100 times, every donation counts and your contributions do not go unnoticed.  

Partners for Life 

Laurier is a Canadian Blood Services’ Partners for Life organization and has pledged 475 blood donations in 2024. To date, the university has achieved 33% of its goal. 

Faculty, contract teaching faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the university are invited to join Laurier’s Partners for Life team and make a blood donation. By joining Laurier’s Partners for Life team, you can give at any Canadian Blood Services location and have your donation count toward Laurier’s pledge goal. 

Download the GiveBlood app from Google Play or the App Store. This short video shows you how to join Laurier’s team within the app. Appointments can also be made within the app. 

Not everyone can donate blood. 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.