World Blood Donor Day

Every year on June 14th, organizations around the globe celebrate World Blood Donor Day to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation.

History of World Blood Donor Day

The history of blood donation goes back a long way, with the first blood transfusions being performed using poorly understood science and very early research. But it wasn't until Richard Lower was the first to study the science of donating blood with animals. He successfully transfused blood between the two dogs without being severely affected.

And the science surrounding blood has slowly evolved from that point on, breaking taboos and moving away from animal testing. From advances in blood transfusion technology to Karl Landsteiner's discovery of the ABO human blood group system for the most accurate donor identification, blood transfusion is rapidly becoming an important element in health and wellness topics.

Following the success of World Health Day 2000, focusing on blood donation and blood transfusion safety, health ministers worldwide unanimously declared in May 2005, during the World Health Assembly. 58th World Blood Donor Day, to designate World Blood Donor Day as an annual event held on June 14th every year, choosing Landsteiner's date of birth to celebrate his birthday.

 World Blood Donor Day aims to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donation, which is important to keep the health industry in good supply, and to celebrate the hard work of medical professionals in research and development of new technologies and uses for blood, as well as medical teams that use blood regularly. The day is also used to thank donors for their service and determination to save lives and make the world a better place.

Traditions of World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day is considered as an extremely important awareness-raising day. Countries all over the world join this campaign to emphasize the importance of safe blood donation and why absolutely healthy people should donate blood.

Blood drives are established in schools, offices and workplaces. People are informed and assured that the process of donating blood will be safe and can contribute to saving someone's life or helping with research. Non-profit organizations and related services create materials such as posters, banners, and flyers to distribute and educate people about blood donation. This day is also a thank you to all those who have regularly donated their blood-saving gifts.

Some facts about blood

• There are eight blood types

They are A, B, AB and O, and they have either a positive or negative Rh Coefficient

• Possible for all

People with Type O negative blood are common blood donors whose blood can be used by anyone.

• A popular appearance

About 4.5 million Americans receive blood transfusions each year.

• Abundant supply

An average adult has about 10-12 liters of blood in the body.

• Blood is made of four elements

It is broken down into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, all of which float in the plasma.

How to celebrate World Blood Donor Day

• Give blood!

If you are eligible to donate blood, you only need to dedicate about an hour a day to this life-saving process. After you arrive at the donation site and check in, you'll be given a small health check to make sure you're healthy enough to donate blood. The actual blood donation process takes just over ten minutes typically; they collect about a liter of blood per person. Once you're done, they'll give you some refreshing drinks (read: free snacks!) to make sure you're ready to go back to your normal life.

• Spread the word

If you are unable to donate blood or can't find the time, spreading awareness about the importance of World Blood Donor Day can have a huge impact. Let your friends, family, colleagues and social media followers know the importance of donating blood. Many people don't know how easy the process is, so word of mouth is incredibly helpful in inspiring future blood donors.

• Find an event near you

Search online to see if there are any special events in your area, such as rallies or pop-up donation websites, to celebrate World Blood Donor Day. Many blood centers, hospitals and volunteers organized special, fun events on June 14 to celebrate the holiday and maximize blood donations. Again: there is a very good chance of having free snacks.

Some reasons for World Blood Donor Day being important

• It saves lives

Before blood transfusion became a routine medical practice, lives were frequently lost due to an inadequate blood supply. Donating blood will ultimately support a variety of medical needs ranging from minor procedures to pre-planned emergency surgery. Blood transfusions are an important part of the treatment plan for cancer patients or pregnant mothers, as well as crucial in the event of a disaster or car accident.

• There is always a need to donate more blood

Donating blood is a quick, easy and extremely safe process, but only a small fraction of the population are regular blood donors. Of those deemed “eligible” to donate blood, only about 10% choose to do so. Since blood donation is a completely voluntary process, World Blood Donor Day is an important reminder that there can never be such a thing as “donating too much.” In the United States, every two seconds has a person who needs blood!

• It is a global problem

Obviously, having an adequate blood supply is needed in every country on earth. Many developed countries are now able to rely on voluntary, unpaid blood to meet 100% of their blood supply needs. But finding those volunteers and making sure blood is safe is still a big problem in developing countries, and they often have to rely on family or paid donations. WHO is working to ensure that in the near future, blood donations around the world will be completely free and voluntary?