World Blood Donor Day: 5 Key Benefits of Donating Blood

D

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Vikas Kumar Sharma

General Health

6 min read

Synopsis

World Blood Donor Day helps raise awareness of blood donation. World Blood Donor Day 2022 is observed to thank volunteers who donate blood. Read about World Blood Donor Day celebrations and benefits.

Key Takeaways

  • June 14 is World Blood Donor Day, observed globally every year
  • World Blood Donor Day focuses on benefits of blood donation
  • Social media campaigns form a part of World Blood Donor Day celebrations

Donating blood is a gentle act of kindness that can save millions of lives. With this agenda, World Blood Donor Day is observed every year on June 14. The World Blood Donor Day 2022 celebration is a way to thank all those volunteers who save lives by donating their blood. Observing this day also helps in encouraging many others to donate blood.

One drop of your blood can make a huge difference for many! However, there is a huge gap in demand and supply of blood in India, according to a study. For every group of 1,000 people, the blood donation rate amounts to approximately 2.5 donations only. By educating everyone on the benefits of donating blood, it is possible to narrow this gap [1].

According to WHO, approximately 40% of the total 118.5 million donations are from high-income countries. Despite the fact that approximately 54% of blood transfusions happen in low-income countries among children below five years of age, there is a huge shortage of blood [2]. All these facts emphasize the importance of blood donations. While World Brain Tumor Day is observed globally on June 8 to educate people on the importance of brain health, World Blood Donor Day encourages more people to volunteer to donate blood.

Blood transfusions provide your body with healthy blood cells, especially for conditions like blood cancer. To raise awareness of how blood cancer can affect your body, Blood Cancer Awareness Month is observed every year in September. When you volunteer to donate blood, you can save the lives of those battling blood cancer. On this, learn more about the numerous benefits of donating blood. To know more about its advantages and World Blood Donor Day celebrations, read on.

Why donate blood

Helps maintain your weight 

While you may be struggling to lose weight, you’ll be amazed to know that you can control your BMI levels by donating blood. Donating blood at proper intervals boosts your fitness levels and helps you reduce weight.

According to a report, donating 450ml of blood can burn approximately 650 calories. However, do not consider this as a part of your fitness regime. It is always important to consult a doctor and donate blood as per proper medical advice. Get a blood group test done to check your blood type. Donate your blood on time and help someone on this World Blood Donor Day! 

Additional read: Blood Cancer Awareness Monthside effect after blood donation

Decreases iron deposits 

If your body contains huge deposits of iron, you may feel tired and weak. This condition is called hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs more iron than required. By donating your blood at regular intervals, you can reduce iron overload.

Though you can consider blood donation as a suitable way to treat this condition, it is important to test yourself to check if you can donate blood. For anyone with excess iron in their blood, blood donation is one of the simplest ways to minimize this condition. With so many amazing blood donation benefits, do your bit on this World Blood Donor Day by donating blood yourself and encouraging your friends and family to do so too.

Protects you from heart diseases 

Are you surprised to learn that donating blood at regular intervals minimizes the risk of heart ailments? When there are excessive iron deposits in your body, it can affect the functioning of vital organs like the heart and liver.

When you eat iron rich foods, your body may not be able to absorb all of it. In such cases, your body stores excess quantities in the liver and heart. This increasing iron buildup in your body may result in oxidative stress that can cause cardiovascular ailments such as stroke and heart attacks. Donate blood and protect yourself from harmful ailments on this World Blood Donor Day.

Additional read: Blood Group TestWorld Blood Donor Day

Produces new blood cells 

Within 48 hours of your blood donation, your body produces new blood cells. Your bone marrow is the organ responsible for the production of new blood cells. Every time you donate, all your lost blood cells get replaced with new cells within 30-60 days.

To maintain good health, it is important that you donate blood. While donating blood is a noble act of deed, remember that it helps your body to stay fit and fine too! The main aim of this World Blood Donor Day celebration is to educate people on the healthy benefits of donating blood. Now that you know what they are share your thoughts online so your loved ones can benefit too.

Boosts your mental health 

The fact that your blood can save a life can give you mental satisfaction. While you are aware of the physical benefits of donating blood on this World Blood Donor Day, this act improves your mental well-being too. Volunteering yourself to donate blood means you are helping a stranger. By realizing that your deed has helped someone, you feel happy and content. This can reduce negative thoughts and instill more positivity in you.

World Blood Donor Day 2022: Know about World Blood Donor Day 2022 theme and activities 

Like every year, this World Blood Donor Day 2022 has a theme too. The focus of this year’s campaign is to emphasize the importance of regular blood donation camps to reduce the gap between demand and supply. Apart from thanking donors who volunteer to save lives, this also strives to create awareness on increasing government investments in maintaining a systematic blood bank. 

While the World Blood Donor Day 2021 theme focused on the tagline, “Give blood and keep the world beating,” the World Blood Donor Day 2022 theme has the following slogan, “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives.”

A few activities planned for this year’s World Blood Donor Day include 

  • Media broadcasts 
  • Workshops 
  • Social networking campaigns 
  • Ceremonies to appreciate blood donors 

Now that you are aware of the benefits of donating blood do your bit on this day by encouraging your friends and family to donate blood. A small fraction of blood can make a huge difference in millions of lives. As you consider blood donation, keep in mind that proper care of health always comes first. If you or your loved ones have health concerns, reach out to top physicians on Bajaj Finserv Health. Get a doctor consultation online or in person to address your symptoms. Clear your doubts about blood donation, too, and volunteer yourself to donate blood on this World Blood Donor Day!

Published on 10 Jun 2022Last updated on 13 Apr 2023
  1. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265951
  2. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blood-safety-and-availability#:~:text=low%2Dincome%20countries.-,Blood%20supply,total%20of%20106%20million%20donations.

Please note that this article is solely meant for informational purposes and Bajaj Finserv Health Limited (“BFHL”) does not shoulder any responsibility of the views/advice/information expressed/given by the writer/reviewer/originator. This article should not be considered as a substitute for any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your trusted physician/qualified healthcare professional to evaluate your medical condition. The above article has been reviewed by a qualified doctor and BFHL is not responsible for any damages for any information or services provided by any third party.

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