Blood donations in Kiel: life savers wanted! Here's how you can help!

Blood donations in Kiel: life savers wanted! Here's how you can help!

Blood donations are an indispensable element for medical care - the employees at the , for example, also know this University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH). The need is particularly great in Kiel and Lübeck, as around 1,000 blood donations are needed every week in order to optimally care for patients. But the reality is unfortunately different: those responsible have been observing a decline in blood donations for years - from over 50,000 whole blood donations annually a decade ago to several thousand fewer today.

The reasons for this decline are varied. Particularly noteworthy is the demographic change, which is causing the baby boomer generation to leave the donor group due to age. At the same time, younger people in particular are often less familiar with the topic of blood donation, which further exacerbates the situation. N-tv reports that despite the acute supply of blood supplies, no operations currently have to be postponed, but there is a risk that stocks will drop quickly at critical times such as the summer holidays or during cold waves.

Commitment to more donors

The UKSH is pursuing various strategies to increase the number of donations. Increased efforts are being made to motivate more people to donate blood and to optimize the handling of blood reserves in the clinic through comprehensive “patient blood management”. Precise coordination is necessary as each transfusion is carefully weighed. In addition, modern surgical techniques mean that the overall blood requirement can be reduced.

Another aspect that is intended to promote willingness to donate is digitalization. Attempts are being made to increase donor friendliness by booking donation appointments online or by using our own app, which reminds us of donation appointments and displays blood values. The donation centers in Lübeck and Kiel, which cover the majority of the clinic's needs, are currently being used. In the event that its own supplies are not sufficient, the UKSH uses the stocks of the German Red Cross.

Blood donation as an act of solidarity

Blood donations are perceived not only as a necessary medical act, but also as an act of solidarity in the community. The German Red Cross highlights that around 3.16 million people took part in various blood donation appointments in 2024. This situation illustrates how important the personal commitment of each individual is, especially considering that around 15,000 blood donations are needed in the clinics every day.

In this context, the cooperation between the UKSH and the Wacken Festival to promote blood donations is also worth mentioning. In addition, universities are advertising welcome events for first-year students as well as flyers and posters in university cafeterias to encourage younger people to donate.

Everyone can make a contribution – be it through a personal recommendation to friends or by deciding to become a donor yourself. Ultimately, donating blood remains a personal decision that is particularly important in times of crisis, such as now during the summer holidays. Anyone interested can obtain further information about blood donation at UKSH online and book appointments to make a small but significant contribution to healthcare.