The 5th Marathon “Life is in the Blood” revives the altruistic desire in thousands of Colombians by donating the Sap of Life

In the Colombian nation, volunteers from the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP), in association with the blood banks, during the 5th International Blood Donation Marathon united their efforts, took advantage of their strengths and potentiated their talents, perform a work of awareness, promotion, collection and storage of blood units, to provide an efficient solution to the health needs of patients.

Equally important, with the participation and support of companies, universities, shopping centers, plazas and other places where the public and pedestrians converge, the scenario was established to achieve itinerant premises equipped with all the equipment, supplies and health professionals. perform the required process in a safe, controlled and effective way to donors. For their part, the Activists for Peace, provided the human talent for the promotion of each blood drive.

In addition, some of the blood drives were reinforced with areas of children's recreation equipped with educators and recreationalists who perform playful acts, creative children's makeup and directed recreation, to train in a fun way future donors, while their parents and guardians perform the process of blood donation. The association of these teams, in a coordinated manner resulted in nationwide 40,379 Effective Blood Units with 9,811 deferred units.

BOGOTÁ

“Being a voluntary donor can save up to three lives”. This is one of the phrases that struck the passers-by that circulated in the streets of Bogotá. Young people, adults and elderly people participated, aware that when blood is donated, up to three lives are saved, and in the same way it is of benefit for the well-being of health. One of the volunteer donors, soldier by profession, with the satisfaction of having extended a bond of life, shared:

“I have seen many comrades fallen in combat, who have needed a unit of blood and have passed away. Since there is no blood, then it is very necessary and essential to donate blood. If someone has the opportunity, he should do it. He is another hero”, he said.

CUNDINAMARCA Y BOYACÁ

Several institutions joined this marathon, as was the case of the Prison and Penitentiary Institute (INPEC) of the municipality of Girardot, which for the first time opened the doors for its employees to extend an arm of solidarity with their peers, feeling identified with the work of the GEAP. Also, the National Service of Learning (SENA), as usual, actively participated with its students who already show their culture of donation. Likewise, the municipalities of Anapoima, La Mesa and Fusagasugá participated. In the case of the Department of Boyacá, the Activists and the health team of the “Hemocentro” of Centrooriente de Colombia, managed to attract units in a shopping center and a plaza.

COLOMBIAN PLAIN

The door to the Colombian plain, the city of Villavicencio, was the most active place in the Department of Meta for the blood drives held, such as in parks, shopping centers and the Palace of Justice. For his part, Dr. Rodrigo Suárez Giraldo, Sectional Director of Judicial Administration of Villavicencio, was asked how important it is for him to perform the blood donation; who also expressed: “Because if we do it, and we teach by example, we have the moral authority to ask our staff to do it voluntarily”, he said. On the other hand, the training talks for the promotion and sensitization of donors were also scheduled with the support of the headquarters of the Red Cross.

Other participating municipalities were El Castillo and Cumaral; as well as Tame and Fortul in the Department of Arauca, together with the Saravena Activists.

CAUCA'S VALLEY

“Fecund land of coclí on palms, scented with pennyroyal, tuberose and jasmine; protected with zeal by two mountain ranges, to make the most beautiful garden in the homeland”.

The sublime words of the Colombian poet Héctor José Corredor, are what this land really means, welcoming mother of desolate peoples, full of colors, sweetness and joy, which is today a land that saves lives, by paying tribute to life with more of six thousand altruistic actions, demonstrating that it is possible to think of the neighbor by being in solidarity with others.

In Cali, the media as supported with their publications and dissemination of the 5th International Marathon, the events were held in 12 different places in the city. Other municipalities: In Yumbo they also celebrated life in solidarity with the praiseworthy work of donating blood, as well as in Cartago, Zarzal and la Victoria. In the center of the Valley, the stage was the main park of Roldanillo, and in Palmira a cover of 18 strategic points was achieved, which bet on life and love of neighbor.

ANTIOQUIA

The capital of the department, Medellín, has stood out for its active participation in the conferences carried out by the GEAP, and this time the municipality of Caucasia also woke up with the invitation of its Activists, where the GEAP made a blood drive for the first time in the Las Ceibas Park Additionally, in five of the main municipalities of Antioquia, hundreds of people went to GEAP's call to donate blood for life.

SANTANDERES

The 5th Blood Donation Marathon of the GEAP was held in five municipalities of the Department of Santander. For their part, the Blood Banks were concerned about the deaths caused by the deficit to cover the demand for blood units. In this sense, Barrancabermeja, Bucaramanga, Floridablanca, Girón and Piedecuesta, served as the stage during last June to donate Sap of Life.

As for the Department of Norte de Santander, the activity was focused on its capital, the city of Cúcuta, parks, universities and shopping centers.

TOLIMA

The Activists for Peace, made the promotion and dissemination of the 5th International Marathon, managing to collect 956 effective units, in the municipalities of Chaparral, Fresno, Rovira, Lerida, Lebanon, Cajamarca, Alvarado, Santa Isabel, Espinal, Mariquita and the capital musical, Ibagué; thus, obtaining a 71% growth in the number of effective units, with respect to the previous year. In this context, as a collaborator, the participation of Dr. Hernán Bustos Abril, Mayor of the municipality of Ambalema, who actively joined in motivating the citizens and employees of the Mayor's office to donate blood, stands out.

CAFETER AXIS

Also known as the “Coffee Triangle”, the Coffee Region is a geographical, cultural, economic and ecological region, which mainly covers the departments of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío. Pereira, Risaralda, in places like the Ciudad Victoria Civic Square, the Plaza de Bolívar and the Parque el Lago, have housed stretchers, tents, apheresis equipment, boxes with kits and different supplies, doctors, bacteriologists, nurses, promoters and activists, but above all, hundreds of hearts ready to be pumped so that others can live.

Armenia quindio. The main square of the capital of Quindío had an additional ingredient: two super heroes who with their powers called the attention of the people under the motto: “Donate blood, be a hero”, being the first to donate. Likewise, in Manizales, Caldas, the coffee capital of the world, it changed its brown to red tone when hundreds of donors went to the best solidarity event in Parque Bolívar, to paint pints of blood.

SOUTH OF COLOMBIA

Department of Huila. 10 marathon blood drive, more than 50 volunteers, hundreds of units of blood collected, 3 hemocenters and thousands of hearts willing to help, was what was experienced in southwestern Colombia. Through the support of the different city halls, the National Police, the fire brigade, companies, universities, artistic groups and Activists for Peace, the 5th International Marathon, was filled with joy, as well as walks with comparsas and color, which they invited the community to donate blood.

Department of Nariño. Recognized as the “Surprise city of Colombia” for its charms and tourist attractions, which invited its residents to join the International Marathon that took place in the Plaza de Nariño, the conference counted with the active participation of its inhabitants and a group of GEAP activists who extended their arms through life, where love for others was once more demonstrated.

ATLANTIC COLOMBIAN COAST

Regardless of high temperatures or distance, the group of activists intensified the work of raising awareness, reaching municipalities where blood donation campaigns had never been carried out. On the other hand, in Cartagena, massive blood collections were carried out in different points of the city, surpassing the 100 effective units. In the same way, in Santa Marta, through a coordinated work, two sectors of the city, Mamatoco and Los Alcázares, were sensitized, places of great affluence.

Sincelejo The CECAR Caribbean University Corporation and the National SENA Learning Service of the city of Sincelejo, Sucre, opened their doors to the 5th International Blood Donation Marathon promoted by the GEAP. Also, in Barranquilla, the Transmetro, a mass transit company, joined the marathon. The portals of Joe and Soledad were the stages to receive the 238 volunteers. The Police School, the Mayor's Office of Barranquilla, and other municipalities also joined this day.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO PARTICIPATING HEALTH ENTITIES

Professionals from the health sector, who make this labor possible, and to those in these short lines is intended to pay tribute and gratitude for the support to the blood drives.

National Blood Bank, Colombian Red Cross (in its different sections), Blood Bank Peds Cardio Foundation, Blood Bank of the National Institute of Cancerology, National Blood Bank Foundation Hemolife (Bogota Section, DC), Blood Bank Hospital Cardiovascular Child from Cundinamarca, Hemocenter and Apheresis Unit of Valledupar HUAV, Clinical Laboratory and Blood Bank Diagnosalud Hematological Foundation of Colombia, Institute of Cardiology, Foundation Hematológica Colombia Ibagué headquarters, Valle de Lili Foundation, different university hospitals, departmental hospitals, health secretariats and hemocenters, among other important health entities.

Finally, a second semester of work is left to Colombia, whose planning and execution do not give rise to expectations, which will surely result in more useful units and a higher percentage of citizen participation in the management of giving life as a voluntary habit.

Effective Blood Units by Department:

ARAUCA: 194

ANTIOCH: 2,490

ATLANTIC: 1,407

BOGOTÁ AND CUNDINAMARCA: 13,194

BOLÍVAR: 1,756

BOYACA: 557

CALDAS: 645

CESAR: 91

GUAJIRA: 863

HUILA: 1,284

MAGDALENA: 367

GOAL: 854

NARIÑO: 1,251

NORTH OF SANTANDER: 1,322

QUINDIO: 118

RISARALDA: 4.150

SANTANDER: 2,232

SUCRE: 504

TOLIMA: 956

VALLEY: 6,144

TOTAL: 40,379