Blood for Life Week 2016 – IBTS launches week long awareness campaign as blood supply drops
The IBTS has today (Sunday) announced an intensive media campaign to mark World Blood Donor Day and Blood for Life Week 2016 on the eve of Ireland’s first game in the European Championships.
“This year’s theme for World Blood Donor Day on Tuesday is ‘Blood Connects us all’ and while the Irish team have our full support the next 3 weeks of football mania will add to an already difficult situation for meeting the ongoing demand for blood,” said Operations Director Paul McKinney.
“We aim to keep 7 days supply of blood but we have just 3 days supply for O positive and A positive at the moment. There are approximately 100,000 Irish supporters in France for the Irish campaign. We need 15,000 fans that are staying at home to support patients by giving blood between now and the end of the month.
“Good weather during the Summer always impacts on attendance at clinics, while the exams season combined with the European Championship followed by the Rio Olympics will make it extremely difficult for us to sustain the blood supply over the coming months.”
To find out if you can give blood and where and when, visit www.giveblood.ie or contact us at 1850 73 1137
The IBTS is running 3 additional clinics today Sunday in Swords Co Dublin, Dunboyne Co Meath and Wexford town.
ENDS
Note to Editors:
- Only 3% of the eligible population are active donors
- 1 in 4 of us will need transfusions at some stage in our lives
- Blood lasts just 35 days
- Platelets a component of blood last just 5 to 7 days
