The Life-Saving Impact of Blood Transfusions: A Global Movement to Save Lives

Blood transfusions and their products help save millions of lives each year. They help patients with life-threatening diseases live longer with a better quality of life, and make it possible to perform complex medical and surgical interventions, indicates the World Health Organization (WHO)

They also play a vital role in maternal and child care, pregnancy, and emergency responses to natural and man-made disasters.

Blood services that enable patients to access safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantities are a key component of effective health systems. A sufficient supply can only be secured through regular voluntary and unpaid donations.

The portal donarsangre.org indicates that a donor can save three lives, because the 450 milliliters of each blood sample have three basic components: red blood cells, plasma, and platelets (in addition to white blood cells). These components are separated and each of them is intended for different specific purposes.

The International WeLoveU Foundation carried out on August 31 the 651st One-Two Blood Drive Worldwide, which was held in the Parque de la Independencia de Manuela Sáenz, in the capital. This action had the support of the Ecuadorian Red Cross and the Municipality of Quito.

Around 250 WeLoveU members, along with their families, friends and neighbors, volunteered to joyfully donate blood for those suffering from diseases. The activity was also carried out that same day in Venezuela and Argentina, the foundation details in a statement.

It is detailed that this campaign is a global movement to save lives, in which the actions of one person connect with two to four peoplecreating a virtuous circle of sharing around the world.

Since the beginning of this year, large-scale donation campaigns have been carried out and are being carried out intensively again from June, commemorating World Blood Donor Day (June 14), not only in the interior of the country, but also also in several countries such as South Korea, the United States, Peru, Colombia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, etc.

Through joint blood donation, not only the participation rate in blood donation has been increased, but also citizens’ perception of free and voluntary blood donation has been improved.

The foundation explained that in the Ecuadorian capital, the participants who were well informed of the precautions of donating blood proceeded in an orderly manner with the test and extraction. Among them, according to the count made up to 2:30 p.m. that day, 171 people were considered suitable for donation and donated 76,950 ml of blood.

Alejandro Ortiz, zonal administrator of the Central Zone of Quito, who participated on behalf of Mayor Pabel Muñoz, greeted Zahng Gil-jah, honorary president of the foundation, and thanked this organization for its 10 years of helping Ecuadorians.

Silvia Velasco, a member of the Pichincha Provincial Board of the Red Cross, who helped with the blood donation event that day, also thanked We Love U. “We extend our thanks to the honorary president Zahng Gil-jah for the collaboration she has carried out through the International WeLoveU Foundation for 10 years”, he indicated.

The foundation started its activities in South Korea in 2004, with the participation of around 10,000 members. Since then the blood drive has spread and as a result has established itself as a worldwide event.

Until the end of June 2023, 577 events were held in 64 countries, and with the participation of around 100,000 members. Among them, around 44,000 members achieved successful extraction. Considering that one blood donation can save three people, that’s an achievement that has saved around 130,000 precious lives.

The Ecuadorian Red Cross details on its website the requirements that people must have for the donation:

• be in good health
• Be between 17 and 65 years of age, 17 years with prior authorization from the legal representative.
• Weigh more than 50 kilos (110 pounds).
• Have had breakfast or lunch.
• Don’t take medication.
• Not having undergone major surgeries in the past year.
• Not having had tattoos or piercings in the last year.
• Carry an identification document with photo. (YO)