Blood donation mobilization during Red Crescent Week: “Blood is not an emergency but a constant need”

In cooperation with the Red Crescent and Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, hospital staff and citizens donated blood in the area set up in the garden of the hospital. Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Nurettin Yiyit, who also donated blood, said: “There is a disaster, an earthquake, something extraordinary happens, everyone wants to give blood at once, but stored blood also has a lifespan. We need to give it in a regular routine and raise this awareness. We need to permanently eliminate the 'blood wanted' announcements, blood is not an emergency but a constant need. One unit of blood can give life to 3 people, you never know who will need blood and when.”

In cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent and Yedikule Chest Diseases Training and Research Hospital, hospital staff and citizens in the area gave blood at the mobile unit set up in the garden of the hospital. Between October 29 and November 4, the event was organized for the Red Crescent Week, and the importance of blood donation and raising awareness in the society was emphasized. People who wanted to donate blood gave blood after filling out the form in the area and determining that they met the conditions, while Prof. Dr. Nurettin Yiyit, Chief Physician of Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, also donated blood. Prof. Dr. Yiyit and Dr. Hafize Temurok, Director of the Red Crescent Çapa Blood Donation Center, gave information about the donation process and invited citizens to donate blood.

“One unit of blood can give life to 3 people”

Emphasizing the importance of creating social awareness about blood donation, hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Nurettin Yiyit said, “We signed a partnership with the Red Crescent on the occasion of Red Crescent Week. As Yedikule Chest Diseases Hospital, we wanted to draw attention to something, one of which is that it is important to have the Red Crescent in our lives. When we are in trouble, when there is an extraordinary situation, we deeply feel the presence of the Red Crescent. This is actually a job that requires a serious organization. Blood is something that has no alternative, it is indispensable for us, and the Red Crescent does the work of supplying it, separating it, putting it through immunological tests, and storing it for a long time in a ready-to-use state on our behalf. At the same time, the Red Crescent provides us with as much as we need when we need it, taking a huge burden on behalf of our health organization. Blood is a constant need that we remember acutely on the occasion of certain events. There is a disaster, an earthquake, something extraordinary happens and everyone wants to give blood, but stored blood also has a lifespan. We have to consume it within a certain period of time. We need to give blood in a regular routine and raise this awareness. We all realize the importance of this when we need blood for ourselves or a loved one, we need to permanently eliminate the 'Blood is wanted' announcements. In this sense, blood is not an emergency but a constant need. Hopefully, we will sign a beauty and our signature will be very big, we will emphasize the importance of blood and the Red Crescent. We are on the side that seeks blood and uses it when needed, but today we are also on the side that gives blood. We are one of those who know the importance of this. One unit of blood can give life to 3 people, it is never known who will need blood and when, but when it is needed, there is nothing to replace it. There are no obstacles or drawbacks to giving blood, every healthy individual can give it, our body will continue to produce it. No one should worry about the following; 'I gave blood, will my immunity collapse, will I have a problem', no, you cannot. It decreases in seasonal periods, for example, 'Will my immunity decrease in winter', there is no such thing.”

“We invite healthy individuals between the ages of 18-65 to donate blood”

Stating that there is a decline in blood donations in summer and winter periods and that it is necessary to ensure continuity in donation, Dr. Hafize Temurok, Director of the Red Crescent Çapa Blood Donation Center, continued her words as follows: “Not only today, the Red Crescent always acts with the slogan 'Blood is not an emergency, it is a constant need'. We invite healthy individuals between the ages of 18-65 to donate blood. Especially in very cold and hot weather, there is a slight decrease in blood donations due to weather conditions. Our aim is to deliver blood from volunteers to patients, to prepare blood in case of emergency and to use it for the patient. I invite everyone to sensitivity in blood donation.”

Nedim Toraman, 51, one of the hospital staff who donated blood, stated that it is very important for the society to be sensitive about blood donation and said, “It is necessary to be a little more sensitive, it is necessary to give in every way because our need is very high.”