Is it in you to give? According to Canadian Blood Services, some perfectly healthy people may be ineligible to give blood.

Some Steinbach residents may be surprised to hear that, depending on where they are from or where they have traveled, they may not be able to donate blood.

Territory Manager Steve Raizen says, unfortunately, those who were in the UK between 1980-1996, or Western Europe between 1980-2007 for a cumulative total of three months or more are at risk of having Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, and so are unable to donate. VCJD also known as Mad Cow Disease.

“The primary reason why we have this policy is because VCJD can be transmitted through blood transfusion,” explains Raizen, “and there is currently no licensed test available worldwide to test for it.”

Raizen notes that it is still unknown how long it takes for symptoms of the disease to show up in an individual after they have contracted it. With this in mind, he says those who do are at a higher risk of VCJD will be differed in order to protect the blood system and its recipients.

“It’s really about protecting the blood supply and protecting the hospital patients who would be receiving those blood or blood products.”

Raizen admits that those from the UK or Western Europe may have been able to give back where they were from, but he says different organizations have different policies they operate under.

Meanwhile, Raizen stresses that this information should not deter those who are in fact eligible. He indicates that the next donation event is happening from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Monday at the Steinbach Mennonite Church.

Raizen urges those who are eligible to consider a first-time donation, as Steinbach’s blood system needs an average of 350 new donors every year.

“Really, at the end of the day it is one of the most direct ways you can help somebody,” comments Raizen, “and of course, you get juice and cookies when you are done.”