One in ten patients admitted to a hospital need blood and the demand for transfusions are increasing faster than the supply. While over 80 million units are donated annually, only 38 percent are collected in developing countries.
Today marks the annual celebration of World Blood Donor Day. It began in 2004 with the cooperation of the World Health Organization, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as a way to recognize those that give life to others by giving blood without any reward—except for maybe a cookie.
This year's theme is "New blood for the world", focusing on getting more young people to donate blood. Barcelona is the host city for this year where the public celebrations began yesterday, continuing today with official events.
The purpose of World Blood Donor Day is to generate awareness of giving blood on a regular basis, not to create an influx of donations on one day. So if you're a regular donor, thank you for your contributions. If you've considered giving, today is the perfect time to start your routine. One donation can save up to three lives.