Celebrating World Blood Donor Day 2020
This Sunday, 14 June, countries around the world come together to celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD).
It is an opportunity to globally thank donors whose donations help save millions of lives every year.
June 14th was chosen as World Blood Donor Day as it is the anniversary of Karl Landsteiner’s birth. Often referred to as the forefather of blood transfusion, Landsteiner identified the ABO blood group system, and in 1907 his findings were used to carry out first successful blood transfusion. In 1930 Landsteiner was awarded the Nobel Prize.
While the Coronavirus pandemic has created many challenges in collecting blood and blood products, thanks to your generous donations, Scotland has continued to maintain healthy stock levels.
The announcement across the UK that giving blood is classed as essential travel means that hospital stocks have remained in excellent supply since lockdown began in March.
As we celebrate World Blood Donor Day, Karl Landsteiner and his identification of the ABO blood group system, we also thank you, our donors and supporters. We give thanks to our research teams, or clinical staff, our frontline staff and all those within the SNBTS organisation that help to keep blood stocks at safe levels and allow patients lives to be saved or improved every single day.
Happy World Blood Donor Day, from everyone at Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.
- Help us celebrate by asking someone you know to sign up as a blood donor, by calling 0345 90 90 999 or fill out our online form