Students donate more blood than ever

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders ' annual Bloedserieus action is once again on the rise. During the past semester, no less than 5,700 students participated in a blood collection on their campus. This makes it the most successful edition ever in the spring. The action runs on the enthusiasm of students (associations). The autumn edition will again visit dozens of campuses, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders aims for 12,000 donations by the end of this year with the two campaigns together.

"Students play an important role in replenishing our blood supply," said Vincent Verbeecke, spokesman for Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. "We see that the campaign is alive and well, every year more institutions and students participate. This spring we have already set a record, thanks to the students."

Leuven at the top

The largest contribution this semester came from Leuven. KU Leuven counted 2,271 donations - accounting for 40% of the total. "The action once started in Leuven, and you can feel that. The involvement of the students there is impressive," Verbeecke said. The University of Ghent and the University of Antwerp are also firmly in the top three.

Last stop of the semester: UZ Gent

The blood-serious caravan descended on 21 campuses this semester for a total of 29 collections. The very last Blood Serious of the semester descended on UZ Gent on May 19. Not coincidentally: it is one of the hospitals where the blood ends up. The staff of Ghent University Hospital also actively supports the action. To give the students a boost, they themselves mobilized many staff members to donate together. "We are not only having students donate today, our colleagues are also donating blood en masse. We know better than anyone else how vital that is," says Professor Eric Hoste, intensivist at UZ Gent.

Rising trend

The Bloedseries campaign is gaining popularity among students every year. The turnouts from the spring edition of past years show a clear upward trend: