TANYA COLLIER MACDONALD

The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — At least one element that shapes Ian Burrows is common, his blood type. It’s a biological bonus that gives him comfort while trying to overcome cancer, he says.

“They always had blood for me,” said the 21-year-old Glace Bay resident who has received more than 200 transfusions of A+ blood while undergoing treatments for neuroblastoma cancer. “I can’t imagine having a rare blood type. I’d be frightened for them.”

Burrows attended Tuesday’s grand opening of the Sydney Blood Donor Clinic at 850 Grand Lake Rd. As guest speaker, Burrows shed light on the “heroes” who donated the blood he needed to gather strength to carry through years of treatment.

“They had the kindness to lend their veins so that I could live; so that I could have a chance at beating this disease,” he said. “You never know how important blood donations are until you need blood or know someone who needs it.”

Burrows said neuroblastoma cancer is typically a childhood cancer but his disease didn’t become symptomatic until he was 17 years old. He’s undergone 18 radiation treatments and had his own bone marrow harvested and infused back into his body. The stem cells then started producing new blood cells that helped shrink the tumour that invaded his spinal column.

During his long recovery, Burrows needed daily transfusions of blood to increase his energy.

“It was hard to function when it was low.”

Burrows said his health improved and he was able to graduate from high school and is now a student in Cape Breton University’s nursing program.

Peter MacDonald, regional director at Canadian Blood Services Atlantic, said many Canadians feel blood donations are used to treat trauma victims but there are many patients who need blood daily, including patients undergoing cancer treatment.

MacDonald said about 4.1 per cent of Nova Scotians give blood, a percentage he would like to see increased to about 5 per cent.