Healing in the Public Eye: After making 54 donations, Elizabeth Peloza reflects on receiving the gift of life

In this installment of Healing in the Public Eye, Coun. Peloza details her experience going from blood donor to recipient.

As a regular donor at Canadian Blood Services, Coun. Elizabeth Peloza has given the gift of life to others.

She now knows firsthand what it also means to receive.

Peloza is sharing her experiences during chemotherapy treatments in a CTV News series called ‘Healing in the Public Eye.’

On the morning of April 29, she recorded a brief video inside the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) explaining that she would require a blood transfusion while being treated for pneumonia.

“My doctor asked if I had ever received a blood transfusion. I need to receive one because my hemoglobin levels are low,” she said into her phone.

Peloza then reflected on the significance of the moment.

“I’ve been honored to have been 54 times a Canadian Blood Services donor. This is my first transfusion. So humbly, thank you to those who donate,” she said.

The blood transfusion helped save her life and maintain her schedule chemotherapy treatments.

A month and a half later, she visited the Canadian Blood Services donation centre at 820 Wharncliffe Rd. S. in recognition of National Blood Donor Week.

Her chemotherapy treatments prevent Peloza from donating, but she held her donor ID card in her hand, proudly glancing at the large 50 printed on its face — knowing fully what it represents.

“When summer vacation comes, people go out of the town, [they] reprioritize things, and the donations drop, but the demand stays the same. So, it’s really important to schedule those appointments,” she explained.

“Canadian Blood Services needs to welcome over a million new donors by 2030, and the reason is the need for blood is increasing by 10 per cent, and plasma by 50 per cent,” explained Marisa Gatfield, community development manager at Canadian Blood Services.

National Blood Donor Week runs from June 8 to 14.

“It’s actually moving to have the councillor here right now,” said David House, who spoke with Peloza while making his weekly plasma donation. “It’s very nice to know it’s going to help real people.”

“The need for blood is constant, and you never know when you’re going to need it, or someone that you know may need blood or a blood product,” Gatfield said. “I’m grateful for Elizabeth being here and sharing her journey with others, and inspiring others to step-up and become a donor.”

A few years ago, blood plasma donations also saved Peloza’s son.

“I was donating then, and along the way my son had become ill with GBS (Guillain-Barré syndrome) and for that, the only cure is human plasma donation,” she explained. “So, we were already gifted that his life was saved with blood products.”

“We did a donor drive after that to get more awareness, and I became really meticulous about donating,” Peloza recalled.

But now it’s her inability to continue repaying the gift of life that saved her son that makes visiting the donation centre tough for the mom of three.

“I miss it. It’s an opportunity I can’t take right now and it’s going to be years until I can take that again,” Peloza says. “So, I really want to make this a public call for all those donations I would be doing weekly. I need people to step in to help fill my seat, and the seats of those who want to donate — but can’t.

Booking an appointment to make a donation can be done online, by calling 1-888-2-DONATE, or on the GiveBlood app.