Côte-d'Or. World Blood Donor Day: Keeping Solidarity Alive All Year Long

"Four hundred appointments are available at the Maison du Don, rue du Stade in Dijon. On the agenda for volunteers: relaxation area, wellness massages, children's area, musical entertainment, and a gourmet snack with Biscrocamp..." This is the message sent by the French Blood Establishment (EFS) during the launch of its awareness campaign from June 10 to 20. The idea? To boost donations before the dreaded summer lull each year.

This World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on June 14, is a key moment "for blood donation, EFS and the health of our citizens," the press release states.

"This is an opportunity to thank donors, volunteers and all those who are committed to donating blood, whose role is essential in enabling the establishment to fulfill its public service mission and meet the needs of patients."

It is also an opportunity to recall the vital nature of donating blood, plasma, and platelets as the school holidays approach, which are traditionally difficult due to the suspension of collections in student and business circles. "However, the need for blood products is constant, and donor mobilization must be regular and continuous, as blood products have a limited lifespan (7 days for platelets and 42 days for red blood cells)."

World Blood Donor Day also addresses a major challenge for the EFS: recruiting new donors thanks to the visibility offered by the event, to compensate for those who can no longer donate due to the age limit or contraindications to donation.