Appeal issued for blood donations to mark World Blood Donor Day
Today, Friday June 14, is World Blood Donor Day.
It is also the 20th anniversary of the significant occasion and to mark it, many buildings and landmarks around the country have decided to ‘Go Red’ to commemorate the day.
After the Irish Blood Transfusion Service invited them to light up red, buildings such as The Department of Health building on Baggot Street, Dublin airport, the GPO, Rock of Cashel and Kilkenny Castle have turned their lights red in support.
World Blood Donor Day is a World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative to promote voluntary blood donation across the world and to highlight the importance of safe blood and blood products, such as plasma and platelets, to save lives.
According to WHO, the slogan for this year’s World Blood Donor Day is ‘Thank you, blood donors!’, and commemorates the huge impact blood donation has on the lives of patients and donors alike.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, spoke about World Blood Donor Day and urged the public to donate if they are able to.
Dozens of landmarks and buildings are lighting up red tonight to say a huge THANK YOU to blood & platelet donors
From Dublin Airport to the Rock of Cashel, & from the GPO to Kilkenny Castle, Ireland says thank you to our amazing donors! #WorldBloodDonorDay #WBDD2024 pic.twitter.com/oZSgAMZBk0
— Giveblood (@Giveblood_ie) June 14, 2024
He explained, “The global celebration of the 20th World Blood Donor Day is an extraordinary event to applaud blood donors worldwide”.
“Their invaluable donations are lifesaving. One in four of us will need a blood transfusion as some point in our life, and the IBTS needs to collect around 3,000 donations a week to maintain the national blood supply. The availability of blood for transfusion is crucial for the treatment of patients in hospitals all over the country”.
Donnelly appealed to the public by adding, “I am urging all, whether it is your first time, or you regularly donate, to visit your nearest clinic and to give blood. Your donations are vital to ensure we keep on top of the demand from hospitals”.
