‘Look mom, here comes the blood truck!’

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Twelve-year-old Aary gets more excited than most whenever he sees a Canadian Blood Services truck on the road. That’s because he knows that other kids like him will soon be getting the lifesaving blood they need.

Two years ago, Aary got an unexplained rash and his gums began to bleed. He was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, an incredibly rare blood disorder with no standard treatment protocols.

“When we brought Aary to the emergency room, they ran some tests and immediately gave him a blood transfusion,” said Jenny Dinh, Aary’s mom. “It was all such a blur for my husband and me.”

Since his diagnosis, Aary has received more than 100 blood transfusions, which is equivalent to nearly 4,000 individual blood donations. Although Aary has had a full response to drug therapy, it remains likely that blood transfusions will still be necessary at other points throughout his life.

“Without support for the work that Canadian Blood Services does to make sure those blood products are available, Aary would not have been given the chance to survive,” Ms. Dinh said. “I will forever be grateful for everyone who has played a role in saving my son’s life.”

Each year, 100,000 new blood donors are needed to meet demand, yet only four per cent of Canadians donate. Financial donations help to educate and recruit the next generation of blood, stem cell and organ donors.

As a registered charity, Canadian Blood Services uses financial donations to help fund projects and initiatives in four areas: blood, stem cells, organs and tissues, and research and innovation. Through their generosity, financial donors are helping build a better blood system for patients like Aary.

Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved in its creation.