Red Cross calls for blood donations: vital for the summer!

Red Cross calls for blood donations: vital for the summer!

The German Red Cross (DRK) is well positioned in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia when it comes to the availability of blood supplies. Markus Baulke from the NSTOB blood donation service reports a stable willingness to donate and a satisfactory level of canned goods. However, there is a constant need for blood donations, especially with the approach of summer, which is often accompanied by a decline in willingness to donate. During this time, around 3,000 blood donations are required daily to meet demand. In Saxony-Anhalt, up to 500 blood donations are necessary per day, while in Thuringia around 350 donations are required.

June 14th marks World Blood Donor Day, an opportunity to highlight the importance of blood donation. The event is also intended to draw attention to the fact that, despite good donation numbers, there is still a challenge in securing enough blood supplies. This is particularly important because the shelf life of blood reserves is limited. Platelets, for example, only have a shelf life of four days, which requires continued donations.

Challenges for blood donation services

The DRK blood donation services therefore particularly encourage a high level of willingness to donate in the summer. Public holidays and major sporting events, including the upcoming European Football Championship and the summer holidays, often lead to a decrease in the willingness to donate blood. The DRK blood donation service would like to thank the previous blood donors, whose commitment safeguards the lives of tens of thousands of people.

There is currently a worrying trend: While the baby boomer generation donates blood up to three times a year, younger generations only donate blood twice a year on average. For this reason, the DRK has taken measures to reach younger people in particular, including by introducing a blood donation app for booking appointments. This app has already generated 1.5 million registrations and makes it easy to book an appointment with friends or relatives.

The importance of blood donation

The role of blood donations should not be underestimated: they are essential for the treatment of cancer, heart disease, stomach and intestinal diseases, as well as accidents, complications during childbirth and operations. Preparations for several patients can be made from a single blood donation. Any healthy adult weighing at least 50 kg can donate blood, provided their health is checked before donation. Restrictions can arise from various factors such as certain illnesses, medications or recent travel.

Finally, World Blood Donor Day, established in 2004 by the WHO and other organizations, is a special event this year as it celebrates its 20th anniversary. The need to donate regularly remains an important challenge for the coming months.

The information comes from a report by South German newspaper and a notice from the Blood donation.