Blood donations encouraged on World Blood Donor Day

Caption: In Chinese posters authorized by the World Health Organization on World Blood Donor Day, four patients from different countries write postcards to tell their stories of beating diseases with the aid of donated blood. This is from an Iranian boy with thalassemia.

With the 20th World Blood Donor Day being marked on June 14, a series of campaigns will be launched in Shanghai to encourage blood donation, especially among young people, under the concept of "donating blood, sharing life."

Local landmarks including the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Shanghai Tower will be illuminated in red, the color of life, to celebrate the day and express gratitude to all blood donors and volunteers, the Shanghai Blood Center and Shanghai Blood Administration Office said.

Caption: This is a message from a woman from Algeria with thalassemia.

To attract more young donors, fashionable items such as cartoon images, digital souvenirs and cartoon-decorated donation rooms have been adopted, officials said.

According to the World Health Organization, the slogan for this year's World Blood Donor Day is "Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often." it focuses on patients requiring lifelong transfusion support and underlines the role every person can play by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma.

It also highlights the importance of giving blood or plasma regularly to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products that can always be available, all over the world, so that all patients in need can receive timely treatment.

Caption: This is a woman from Burundi with malaria.

Local blood authorities also use digital means to make blood donation more convenient, efficient and organized.

Through the public WeChat account of the Shanghai Blood Center, donors can follow the entire blood donation process, from reservation, through blood test results to the whereabouts of the blood, record checking of donation history, awards for top donors, and applications for blood use.

Shanghai needs 1,500 units of blood each day to meet clinical demand.

Local people donated nearly 540,000 units of whole blood and plasma in 2021, with a rate of blood donations per 1,000 population reaching 15. The national level is 12.

Caption: This is a woman from Ghana who suffered a serious traffic accident. When disease and accidents occur, the selfless acts of blood donors can help patients combat disease and injury and survive.