< Blood Service News - 23.09.2009

Number of new blood donors rising

Last year, a total of 161,000 persons donated blood, and the number of new donors among them was much higher than in previous years.

New blood donors as a proportion of all donors was 14%, when in previous years it has been approximately 10%. During 2008, over 22,000 people donated blood for the first time.

“As the current active donors become older, we need a new generation of blood donors to take over. I hope that as many donors as possible that began last year will continue as regular blood donors,” says Satu Pastila, Director at the Finnish Red Cross Blood Services.

In 2008, 181,000 persons offered to donate blood a total of 320,000 times. Approximately 13% of these donors had some impediment that prevented blood donation, such as low haemoglobin or having just recovered from a flu.

Last year, blood was donated a total of 278,000 times - a one per cent rise on the previous year. The Blood Service collects blood for the needs of Finnish hospitals.

“As the population ages, it is estimated that the need for blood will increase in future years and decades. This will prove challenging for the blood supply since the share of the general population aged 18 to 65 who are eligible to donate blood will decrease in a few years’ time," Director Pastila continues.

Helping Must Be Easy

In addition to the donor centres located in 16 locations, blood can be donated in donor sessions arranged in so-called mobile blood collection units. In 2008, nearly 1,300 of these sessions were arranged which exceeds the number of previous years. In particular, the number of blood donor sessions was increased by the fact that many locations arranged a session more often than before. For instance, in Hyvinkää, Järvenpää, Kajaani, Kerava, Lohja, Porvoo, Rauma, Salo and Tuusula a donor session was arranged approximately every month.

The role of the mobile blood collection unit is significant. Of all donated blood, 40% was collected in these sessions, a total of nearly 110,000 blood bags.

“Donating blood must be easy. The mobile blood collection unit compliments the network of permanent donor centres and comes near the donors, even to work places or educational institutions,” explains Pastila.

Is There Enough Blood?

From time to time, the Blood Service launches donor appeals, to ensure an adequate blood supply for all patients. In general, the supply of blood and blood components is sufficient but occasionally, for example in late spring and during the dark autumn, there is a shortage of donors, and often, hospitals’ greatest need for blood falls in this period as well. To ensure adequate patient care, it is important that the flow of donors remains steady all year round.

“To ensure the blood supply, we need regular blood donors who donate two to three times a year. I hope that no one is too busy to help patients needing blood,” Pastila concludes.

More information

Satu Pastila, Director, Blood Donation Operations, tel. +358 9 5801 607, +358 45 6746 334
Juha Soikkeli, Development Director, Blood Donation Operations, tel. +358 500 962 324
Helena Hurri, Communications Officer, tel. +358 9 5801 212, +358 50 5115 499