LETTER: Threat of plasma centre closure always existed

What took so long?

I was one of original employees of the plasma centre. It was such an exciting time as we were going to be the first plasma centre in Canada.

We went to the United States for training – some of us to Utah some to California. We were all so excited and proud to be a part of such a new adventure not just for Thunder Bay but for Canada.

We could not wait to open our doors. That's when things changed. From the day we arrived back in Thunder Bay to our brand new facility, we were told daily that it was up to us to get those donors in the door and to keep them there. If not, they would close the doors.

We were threatened by that constantly. Most of us had no training to do cold calling, but we were told to do it. I could only take that for a few years.

I left for another job and now after 16 years they finally did it. I feel absolutely sick for the girls that have hung in there. I'm sure they still heard ‘get the donors in the door’ up until the very end.

The donors that we have here in Thunder Bay are the most giving and wonderful people.

You know in the U.S. they get paid to do what our donors do here just out of the goodness of their hearts.

Way to go CBS, you can add another 28 broken hearts to your list of people that got fired along with the other managers that you axed.

What are you going to do now bring back whole blood donations?

Good luck with that!

Teri Moore,
Thunder Bay