The slogan of this year's action is "Keep your blood cool, give it to who really needs it" (in Slovenian "Ohranite mirno kri in jo darujte tistim, ki jo res potrebujejo").
According to the data from the Institute of Republic of Slovenia for Transfusion Medicine, Slovenia needs an average of 300 to 350 blood donors per day. In average approximately 1180 blood donor sessions are organized annually in Slovenia, with 97,000 takings of blood. The most common blood group in Slovenia is A (40%), followed by O (38%). About 15% of people have the blood group B, while the rarest blood type is AB at just 7%.
The largest users of blood are patients with blood diseases, and diseases of blood-forming organs (bone marrow), cancer patients, patients undergoing organ or bone marrow transplant, patients injured in accidents, and patients who need blood during surgery.
- who is of good healt,
- in the age group between 18 and 65,
- weighing at least 50 kg,
- who had no major surgery in previous months,
- who has not received a transfusion during the last year,
- for males: who have not given blood during at least three previous months,
- for females: who have not given blood during at least four previous months, and who have not been pregnant during the last year.
Source: Red Cross of Slovenia
Men donate blood more often than women
According to the statistical data from the institute the total number of registered blood donors is 110,000, and 62,000 of those can be considered regulars. 60% of the regular blood donors donate blood once a year, 28% twice a year, one tenth donates blood three times a year, and two percent four times a year. The interesting fact is that 66% of the blood donors are male, and 34% female.
The miners were first to donate blood
The first organized blood donor session organized by the RKS (Red Cross of Slovenia) took place in Zagorje on March 9, 1953, and at that occasion nine miners from Zagorje donated blood. As written on the RKS website, it was an event of national importance which without any doubt contributed to the development of the organized, volunteer, and unpaid blood donations. All the year round a number of blood drawing sessions are being organized all over the country. A blood donor can give blood either following the invitation of the Red Cross, at one of the regular blood donor sessions, or during the working hours of the transfusion service.
Blood donor's day: "Safe blood for the safety of new mothers"
June 14 is the World Blood Donor's day, this year focused on "safe blood for the safety of new mothers". In the forefront of the efforts is the increase of awareness of the importance of timely access to safe blood and blood products in all the countries, within the frame of the efforts for preventing mortality of new mothers. According to Red Cross, 800 women die every day due to complications at childbirth, most of them in developing countries: one half of the deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, and almost a third in South Asia. Most endangered are juvenile mothers up to 15 years of age, and the most common cause of death, morbidity, and long-term consequences for the mothers is massive bleeding during, and after delivery.
K. T., translated by G. K.
