Santé / Service du Sang

Give blood, save lives!

Awareness to continue saving lives

Recruiting new blood donors requires energy, imagination and perseverance on the part of the members of the Voluntary Blood Donor Associations in manning information stands and giving presentations during public demonstra-tions.

Companies, associations, schools, etc. become partners in the effort to improve awareness of blood donation

Efforts to boost awareness of blood donation by the Luxemburg Red Cross and the Voluntary Associations can be supported in the following ways:

promoting blood donation within your company, asso-ciation, school and university via stands, conferences, etc.,

allowing members of your company to go singly or in groups to the Blood Transfusion Center or to an external collection venue,

organizing collections within your own premises when the latter allows (i.e. you are situated far from Luxem-bourg City or from an external collection site, you have sufficient installations and confirmed a minimum number of blood donors).

Pierre Casulli, 18 years, paramedical student at the Lycée

Technique d’Ettelbrück

Romain Buschmann, sustainable development officer, RBC Dexia Investor Services

I felt my interest sparked by the topic of blood donation following a presentation made by the Red Cross in our school. I signed up after the conference to undergo medi-cal tests for donation aptitude. I had just turned 18 when I was contacted for an initial meeting. Since I found the medical domain attractive, helping the sick and injured is almost second nature for me.

In my position as a sustainable development officer, I invi-ted the Luxembourg Red Cross to participate in our “Health Day” to man an information stand and offer our employees the chance to sign up as potential blood donors. Over the course of that day, more than 70 potential donors came up! As a company with a policy of social responsibility, it is important for us to support and encourage this type of initiative.

Join the family of the 13,000 Luxembourg blood donors. In doing so, you will be actively playing a part in the country’s self-sufficiency.

To become a blood donor, contact the Blood Transfusion Center on 27 55-4000 or by Email at transfusion@croix-rouge.lu. We will contact you within a maximum period of four weeks to set up an initial meeting.

Contact

Centre de Transfusion Sanguine (CTS)(Free Parking available)

42, bd Joseph IIL-1840 LuxembourgB.P. 404 L-2014

Tel.: 27 55-4000Fax: 27 55-4001Email: transfusion@croix-rouge.lu

helpline croix-rouge 2755Internet : www.croix-rouge.lu

Opening hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 08:00 - 16:00 Thursday: 08:00 - 18:00

Give blood, save lives!

Photographs : Guy Hoffmann, Claude Welter & Image banksPrinted on recycled paper

Becoming a blood donor: the steps of donation

Your health and time are both precious. The Blood Trans-fusion Center applies a policy ensuring safety, effective-ness, confidentiality and dependability for both donors and recipients alike.

1st stage: Determination of your aptitude for donation followed by a blood donation or simply a blood test

During the initial meeting, your immediate or later aptitude for donation, just as key for you as for recipients, is deter-mined at the Blood Transfusion Center by a doctor. The result is based on a questionnaire, a medical interview and sometimes blood testing. Once your resting blood pres-sure has been checked, a sample is taken in a completely antiseptic manner, using disposable equipment. The total blood extracted for sampling amounts to 500 ml, and to 30 ml for the biological attitude test for donation. After the sample is taken you are invited to recover in the cafeteria.

2nd stage: Blood donation

You can choose whether to give your blood at the Blood Transfusion Center or to visit the external collection venue of your choice. Blood can be collected periodically at Clervaux, Wiltz, Ettelbrück, Echternach, Grevenmacher, Bettembourg, Dudelange, Esch/Alzette, Differdange and in some companies.

A receptacle of 500 ml is filled during the sampling (in 8 to 10 minutes) when giving blood. It is possible to donate platelets or plasma at intervals of 50 to 60 minutes

After the sampling, at both the Blood Transfusion Center and the external collection venues, you are invited to enjoy a light meal.

The average total duration of whole blood donation is 60 minutes (including your stay in the cafeteria).

Further information on www.croix-rouge.lu or at the Blood Transfusion Center.

Blood donor: why not you?

If you:

are between 18 and 65 years old, are lucky to be in good health, have a bit of spare time to do a good deed, wish to come to the aid of those who are suffering, are sufficiently motivated to overcome any nervousness you may feel at what is a painless injection,

please actively play your part in saving human lives or improving the living conditions of those who are sick or injured!

Lucien Einsweiler, 57 yaers

I became a blood donor following a discussion with mem-bers of a blood donors group. After hearing information and explanation about it, I found myself simply wanting to do it and have now been doing so for more than 30 years. I am doing something positive, which gives me a sense of personal satisfaction. It is important to increase public awareness, particularly for the younger generation, of values which are being lost. A bit more help for each other in this world which tends to be over-selfish won’t hurt!

Blood donations in numbers

13,000 donors in Luxembourg (40% female, 60% male) aged from 18 to 65 (average age = 42 years) give their blood:

•91% in the form of whole blood

•9% in apheresis (donations of plasma or platelets)

36 minutes is the average duration of a whole blood donation, 60 minutes for apheresis donations

Fewerthan1% of donors give blood to the maxi-mum annual permitted capacity:

• for the donation of whole blood: 3 donations for women, 4 donations for men

• for apheresis: 12 donations

Crina Enita, 43 years

Marc Loess, 52 years

After I was told about it at a blood donation stand, which was set up during an exhibition, I felt myself wanting to give blood to help others. Each time I gave blood, I told myself I was going to save someone: a sick child, an old person or a young accident victim. Five years ago, I had to face up to illness myself. I had to undergo an operation, during which I received a blood transfusion. It was then I realized that it’s not just others who have to face hard times. My commitment as a blood donor has become even more meaningful.

The sick and the injured are counting on you!

Blood is a vital, essential and complex liquid, which is constantly renewed due to the short lifespan of cells and the factors of which it is constituted.

The causes of cellular deficits (red blood cells, platelets, white blood cells) or clotting factors are numerous; the resul-ting disorders often require transfusions or the administering of medication made from blood.

In Luxembourg, more than 8,000 people of all ages benefit each year, in the areas of surgery, oncology, onco-hema-tology, pediatrics and medicine, from blood or medication derived from the same, which has been donated on a volun-tary, anonymous and free of charge basis.

Blood donation is a vital gesture of mutual aid which helps save lives. No one can completely avoid the risk of accident or illness! Some years ago, following a se-rious accident, I had to have a blood transfusion. It was then I knew I would keep giving blood as long as I am still able to do so.