Belgian Red Cross-Flanders Goes for 1,000 plasma donations in 1 day during Plasma Awareness Week
Each plasma donor receives unique plasmapin
Global Plasma Awareness Week takes place from Oct. 7 to 11. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is taking this opportunity to draw additional attention to the critical role of plasma donations for thousands of patients. Plasma is essential as it is administered to people with clotting disorders or severe burns, but is primarily used to produce life-saving drugs that strengthen or stabilize the immune system in the treatment of serious conditions such as immune deficiencies and rare, life-threatening diseases. Demand for plasma is increasing worldwide, but supply lags behind. Thousands of patients in Belgium depend on plasma drugs every year to maintain or even survive their quality of life. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders therefore emphasizes the importance of plasma donations and invites everyone to become a plasma donor, not only this week, but throughout the year.
An action-packed week and record attempt
This year, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is packing heavily. Every donor who donates at one of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders 's 14 donor centers receives a unique pin as a symbol of Plasma Awareness Week. This pin can be worn in many creative ways: on a t-shirt, scarf or lanyard, but also as a playful accessory such as an earring or shoe decoration.
Plasma donors are desperately needed throughout the year, but during this Plasma Awareness Week, we hope to welcome extra large numbers. The biggest challenge lies on Wednesday, October 9, when we aim to reach a record 1,000 plasma donations in one day. Although this is an ambitious goal, we see that only 0.5% of Flemish people donate plasma, while 3% donate blood regularly. So there is still a lot of room for growth.
Who is already giving us a push?
Besides our Red Cross staff and many of our donors, many prominent figures will also wear the plasmapin to draw attention to the importance of plasma donation. Among them are Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, ministers Petra De Sutter, Tinne Van der Straeten and Frank Vandenbroucke and State Secretary Thomas Dermine.
On Wednesday, October 9, at 10 a.m., former Flemish Minister of Brussels, Benjamin Dalle, will donate plasma himself at the Brussels Donor Center (Cellebroersstraat 16b, 1000 Brussels) and he too is wearing the pin to support this life-saving action.
Warm call: come donate plasma!
Every plasma donation makes a difference. Unlike blood donation, plasma can be donated every 2 weeks. The donation itself takes about 45 minutes and is completely safe and painless. Interested parties can make an appointment through the Belgian Red Cross-Flanders website, which also provides more information about the terms and conditions and the donation process. Every donation helps!
Make an appointment now and save lives: I'm coming to donate plasma!