Bringing Blood Donation Closer to Everyday Life – 10,000 Donations in the Blood Donation Bus
The Blood Donation Bus, which travels around the Greater Helsinki area, has now reached the milestone of 10,000 blood donations. The bus brings blood donation closer to people’s everyday lives and offers a unique donation environment.
The Blood Donation Bus has been operating in the Greater Helsinki area and at various events since October 2023. It has proven to be an effective way to reach new donors: approximately 17 percent of those who have donated in the bus are first-time donors.
“The Blood Donation Bus demonstrates in practice that when blood donation is made more accessible and brought closer to people’s daily lives, more people are willing to help,” says Elina Koskinen, Unit Manager at the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service.
The Blood Donation Bus can operate without electricity for at least a full day, making it possible to organize blood donation events in entirely new locations. Thanks to its flexibility, the Blood Service can work with partners to develop new ideas for donation sites, including places that might not immediately come to mind.
People have rolled up their sleeves in the bus both at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre and on the car deck of a Viking Line ferry. The Blood Donation Bus has even driven into the forest and operated in camping conditions, parking in the Evo forests during a national scout camp in 2025 together with the Guides and Scouts of Finland.
New Donors Are Needed Continuously
Blood donors are needed every day in Finland to ensure that patients receive the treatments they need. Attracting new donors is especially important to ensure that the donor population remains sufficient and diverse in the future.
The bus brings blood donation to places where people already are. It reaches people in locations they naturally visit, such as shopping centres, educational institutions, events, and workplaces.
In 2025, the bus visited around 40 workplaces, 30 events, and more than ten educational institutions, reaching thousands of donors. New locations and partners are continuously being sought.
“The bus is attracting interest as a new kind of donation environment, and we have successfully encouraged many people to donate. Every donation is vital for patients,” Koskinen emphasizes.
10,000 Blood Donations
In August 2026, the Blood Donation Bus reached the milestone of 10,000 donations. Donated blood is needed for, among others, cancer patients, premature babies, mothers giving birth, surgical procedures, and people injured in accidents. Blood products are provided to approximately 40,000 patients in Finland every year.
“We are grateful to every donor, whether they are donating for the first time or are long-time donors. A single donation can help several patients,” says Elina Koskinen.
Book an Appointment in the Blood Donation Bus!
Book an appointment for blood donation in the bus here.
Appointments may also be inquired about on site.
The bus mainly operates within a radius of approximately 50 kilometres from Helsinki, but can travel further when needed. The Blood Service also welcomes suggestions for new bus donation locations through its feedback form (Give Feedback – Finnish Red Cross Blood Service).
Please note that the Blood Donation Bus is accessed via stairs and is therefore not wheelchair accessible. For those who require accessible services, as well as visitors with children, we recommend using the Blood Service’s permanent donation centres.
