Your VOCM and Canadian Blood Services are teaming up for a holiday blood drive on Thursday.

Canadian Blood Services says it has more than 546 blood donation appointments to fill in this province from now to January 7.

There is a critical need for blood and plasma donors across Canada, and Newfoundland and Labrador is no exception.

The last two weeks of December and the first week of January are especially challenging for Canadian Blood Services as people wind down during the holidays.

Things like blood platelets, which only have a shelf life of seven days, are a vital component of blood used to help treat cancer patients.

Canadian Blood Services says as a result every donation appointment needs to be filled. The VOCM Holiday Blood Drive is taking place tomorrow, Thursday, December 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Donation centres, like the one on Wicklow Street in St. John’s, are open on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.