Do you donate blood? You should as it benefits everyone. I ❤️❤️ This link listing 14 reasons  to donate blood from CarterBloodCare.

This weekend, given the opportunity to speak to a group of people who help organize issues around giving blood at a national level here in Greece, and address many issues or should I say “barriers” we all learned from each other. The concept of the Amfiktionia (αμφικτιονία) was new for me and indeed a most positive community effort to bring key issues to the forefront (see site organization dedicated to Amfiktionia).

The National day of blood donation was June 14th and this year World Blood Donation day!

My presentation was about building volunteers, collective trust and health literacy.  Anyone doing anything related to relaying health information on crucial topics such as giving blood indeed builds community health literacy. A big “Bravo!” for all these hard-working people. Also, let’s not forget corporate sponsors that make these events possible — for this event it was Vikos – Βίκος refreshing water and softdrinks (note all of us were volunteer speakers 📍❤️).

There are many barriers including recent GDPR changes, and for blood donors (at least here in Greece) who have to do too much running around with paperwork to both donate and receive blood! There are rumors of political “interventions” but as one speaker Dr. Michalis Christakis (President of local municipality Kleisthenis) well said if you follow procedure and municipalities manage well there is no problem.

However I better understand the issues around a procedural problem of getting a blood donor card. Who has the time to “report” to the association of these problems ? This should all be easy and there needs to be quality control. The continuing problem — communication, organization, and legal or municipal  action if procedures and laws are not followed.  Make it easier.

We need national  social marketing campaigns like the one by the British NHS above, else we keep “missing blood.” Other places around the world do great short “spots” that get people to donate blood like this family oriented one from Thailand (Donate Blood Save Lives)

One older cartoon (1985 clip) created by Bulgarians showing the elves as blood donors saving their beloved Snow White with the help of the prince of course! Let’s keep it flowing … please donate blood today.