South African National Blood Service Celebrates World Blood Donor Day
Johannesburg,03 June 2024 –The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) invites all South Africans to celebrate World Blood Donor Day on June 14, 2024. This year, SANBS under its ongoing and impactful #WeAreThePulse campaign, seeks to celebrate the life-saving contributions of whole blood donors across the nation and to inspire new donors to join in this vital act of service.
World Blood Donor Day is a global event established by the World Health Organisation to raise awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts. This year SANBS highlights the essential contribution blood donors make to keeping people, and communities healthy. It also serves as a call to action to more people to contribute to saving lives by donating blood regularly.
“Each year, thousands of South Africans require blood transfusions during medical procedures, emergencies, and for ongoing medical conditions. World Blood Donor Day stands as a beacon of hope and unity, reminding us of the profound impact that individual generosity can have on the health and vitality of our society. We see this day not just as an occasion to celebrate, but as a powerful call to action. It urges us all to step forward, to give something of ourselves, and to become part of a life-saving network of heroes who fuel the pulse of our nation,” said Thandi Mosupye, SANBS Senior Manager: Marketing, Communication and Brand.
To commemorate World Blood Donor Day, SANBS has organised laboratory tours for learners at their offices in Mount Edgecombe – Durban and Constantia Kloof in Johannesburg. These laboratory tours will offer learners and selected donors an opportunity, to learn more about the process, and see first-hand how their contributions support their communities.
Blood donation takes only 30 minutes, but each donation can save up to three lives. For more information about World Blood Donor Day, or to find out how to become a blood donor, please visit www.sanbs.org.za or call SANBS at 0800 11 9031.
To be eligible to donate blood, one must be between the ages of 16 and 75, weigh more than 50kg and be in good health. If you meet these requirements, find your nearest donation site by contacting 0800 11 9031, visiting the SANBS website and/or reaching out and follow SANBS on its official social media platforms: Twitter (@theSANBS); Facebook (@SANBS) and Instagram (@thesanbs).
Article Credits: https://sanbs.org.za/media-release/national-blood-donor-month-2024/