Photo Credit: istock.com/Macrostore

According to the World Health Organization, WHO, World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on June 14 annually and honors the selfless act of voluntary blood donors whose contributions save lives and embody global solidarity.¹

This year’s campaign emphasizes the hope blood donations bring to millions of patients worldwide. Key goals include:

• raising awareness of the ongoing need for blood and plasma;
• encouraging regular donations;
• highlighting donors’ life-saving impact; and
• urging government and partner investment in national blood programs to ensure universal access to safe transfusions.

Physician’s Weekly (PW) spoke with Amanda Hess, MBA, advisory board president-elect ADRP, and vice president, donor relations and marketing, ImpactLife, to better understand the importance of this annual day of hope and giving.

PW: Can you explain why early June—and the start of summer—is such a critical time for blood donation in the United States?

Hess: World Blood Donor Day is an exciting, special day when blood bankers around the world express our appreciation for the selfless volunteers who give the gift of life through blood donation. The timing of World Blood Donor Day—early June—is very important because summer is a critical time for blood donation in the US. During the summer, the needs of our patients increase—doctors call it “trauma season”—but donations typically decrease in June and remain low throughout the summer.

How urgent is the need for regular donations?

We’re always in need of Type O blood cells, and we’re already seeing a decrease in supply. In fact, we have less than a 3-day supply currently available. That’s why it’s so important for donors to donate regularly, to build up the supply before it’s needed. On World Blood Donor Day, and every day, we’re so very grateful to our donors who take the time to donate and truly make a difference in the lives of others.

Read more from Ms. Hess where she discusses advances in transfusion medicine, challenges blood centers face, and how clinicians can boost blood donation.

She also joined us for a 2-part episode of PeerPOV.

Tune in to her episodes below:

• Part 1: An Easy Way to Encourage Patients to Participate
• Part 2: Tackling Barriers