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These Swedish Blood Donors Get Notified When They Save a Life

By Orgesta Tolaj

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23 January 2024

Swedish Blood Donors

© FRANK MERIÑO / Pexels

Blood donation is a crucial and lifesaving act that many people undertake out of the goodness of their hearts. However, it’s often difficult to know exactly how much of an impact your donation has made. But, what if every time you donated blood, you received a notification telling you that you had just saved a life? Well, for Swedish blood donors, that’s exactly what happens. In an innovative and inspiring move, Sweden has implemented a new system. It notifies donors whenever their blood donation is used to save someone’s life.

Sweden’s Initiative for Blood Donation

Blood donation rates are decreasing globally, including in Sweden. To address shortages, Sweden’s blood service is utilizing technology. This includes those such as a new initiative where donors receive automatic text messages informing them when their donated blood has been used. Donors initially receive a thank-you message upon giving blood. They then get an extra message when their blood is transfused into someone else.

© Puwadon Sang-ngern / Pexels

Karolina Blom Wiberg, a communications manager at the Stockholm Blood Service, expressed the organization’s ongoing efforts to emphasize the importance of donors. The initiative of sending text messages to donors, informing them when their blood has been used, is seen as a way to provide feedback on their efforts. This positive reinforcement aims to encourage donors to contribute again. Additionally, the policy has garnered attention on social media, sparking discussions about blood donation among individuals and their friends.

Swedish Blood Donors Are Now Notified Every Time Their Blood Is Used

Karolina Blom Wiberg shows the positive impact of the text message initiative. She stated that it brings a great feeling to donors. This is true since they will know they made a significant difference and potentially saved a life. The program, initiated in Stockholm three years ago, has gained visibility in both social and traditional media. The positive reception has led to the gradual expansion of the program to other local areas across the country. This includes the belief that it encourages donors to return and contribute again.

© Charlie-Helen Robinson / Pexels

Other Ideas

In the UK, there has been a significant decline in blood donations. They have faced a 40% decrease in donors over the past ten years, according to NHS figures. To address the shortfall, the NHS Blood and Transplant service has started a viral marketing campaign during National Blood Donation Week. This campaign involves removing the letters ‘O’ and ‘A’ from street signs and shop fronts across the country. This is set to symbolize the missing blood types and raise awareness about the need for more blood donations.

Jon Latham, the assistant director for donor services at NHS Blood and Transplant, acknowledges a significant reduction in new donors worldwide, showing the importance of strengthening the donor base for the future. In response to similar challenges, Sweden has adopted a transparent approach by openly sharing real-time information about blood stock levels on the local blood service’s website in Stockholm. The belief is that public awareness of low blood stocks will prompt a more immediate response from people, and with the rise of social media, ordinary donors now can raise alarms when stocks are running low.

Would you ever want to be notified every time your donated blood is used the same way Swedish blood donors are?

You might also want to read: James Harrison’s Blood Plasma: One Man Saved 2 Million Babies

Orgesta Tolaj

Your favorite introvert who is buzzing around the Hive like a busy bee!

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