Record of international participation: 161,392 donations of life

A total of 161,392 effective units reached the 6th International Blood Donation Marathon “Life is in the Blood”, held during the month of November 2015.

Volunteer donors from Latin America, the United States and Spain established a participation record in relation to the previous marathons, with an increase of 28, 97% compared to the 5th Marathon, which reached 133,641 blood donations. 

To achieve these results, the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP), promoting entity, develops the Comprehensive Blood Donation Program: Life is in the Blood, which promotes marathons, conferences and an educational program for training of a voluntary, altruistic and regular culture of safe blood.

The national and regional coordination of the institution, in each country, developed the 6th Marathon with the exhibition of awareness and education talks, training, delivery of leaflets, advertising posters, marches, and the support of the media for the promotion of the blood drives. 

Together with the blood banks of each locality, the GEAP organized the activities for the blood collections, and all the voluntary donations were directed to the supply of the health centers.

The conferences were supported by government bodies, educational institutions, public and private companies, among other organizations. 

More than the number of effective units, the GEAP seeks to foster in people love, solidarity and altruism, so that the act of donation is conceived as a gift of life.Results by country

Argentina 

With the holding of talks, weekly training and the installation of information modules in Argentina, peace activists promoted the workshops in different provinces of the nation.

The activities were supported by institutions attached to the Ministry of Health, schools, companies and the media; the result was 3,269 units of blood, with an increase of 16% compared to the previous marathon. 

Bolivia

5,274 pints was the number reached in the Plurinational State of Bolivia. The active participation of different hospitals was registered, the Sugar Mill Guabirá, religious organizations, the Amazonian University of Pando, among others. 

Brazil

With banners and delivery of flyers in condominiums, shopping centers and a "march for life", on the occasion of the donor's week in Brazil, the GEAP worked in conjunction with the blood banks in the development of the 6th Marathon, which achieved the sum of 60,316 volunteer donors who gave their contribution of life. 

Chile 

8 regions and 51 cities in Chile participated in the blood drives of the 6th Marathon; this work had the collaboration of the blood centers of the country and reached 2,899 units, increasing the participation of Chileans by 7%.

Colombia

The GEAP volunteers in Colombia carried out a multidisciplinary mobilization, with the participation of companies, universities, shopping centers, civil organizations and citizens in general, to achieve a total of 44,882 blood donations.

Guatemala

The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance through the Transfusional Program and the blood banks supported the 6th Marathon in Guatemala, for a total of 1,127 units; which meant an increase of 24% of participation. 

The Red Cross granted recognition to the executive president of the GEAP, Dr. William Soto Santiago, for the international initiative. 

Spain

6,012 Spaniards decided to give their contribution of life; 35 blood drives were registered in the nation, in the framework of the 6th Marathon “Life is in the Blood”.

U.S 

In North America, the international blood donation movement was also carried out; in the United States D.C. 1,192 effective units were registered; also, in Texas, 4,797 volunteer donors demonstrated in favor of their neighbor.​​​​​​​

Mexico

Marches and educational talks were registered in Mexico in the development of the 6th International Marathon; 14,213 volunteer donors gave their contribution of life, in the blood drives carried out in coordination with hospitals and other health centers, and with the support of universities, nursing students, doctors, among other volunteers. The country surpassed the figure of the 5th Marathon by 49%.

Panama 

With the support of the National Blood Program that runs the Ministry of Health, were held in Panama the 6th Marathon, 255 voluntary donors joined the blood drives for life. 

Paraguay

The Activists for Peace of Paraguay counted on the support of different personalities, among them the mayor of Villeta, Carlos Giménez, and also of institutions such as the National Center for Blood Services (CENSSA), as well as the participation of nursing students in the development of the 6th Marathon.

Venezuela 

In all the Venezuelan territory the blood drives were deployed; blood banks of the different states and the Quimbiotec plasma processing plant, joined the GEAP to enhance the work. 10,851 effective units was the result of this altruistic mobilization.​​​​​​​

Costa Rica

In Costa Rica 12 blood drives were developed with a total of 1,041 effective units. 

Ecuador

The GEAP managed to integrate the Ecuadorian citizens in the 6th Marathon, which resulted in a total of 3,307 voluntary donors.

El Salvador and Peru

During the month of November 164 volunteers in El Salvador gave their contribution of life, and in Peru 195 citizens joined the 6th Marathon.

Nicaragua and Honduras

Volunteers from the GEAP in Nicaragua also gave their contribution in the 6th International Marathon, adding 712 units; likewise, 278 altruistic donors were involved in Honduras. 

Puerto Rico 

The Puerto Rican activists developed the sessions and worked to promote the voluntary, altruistic and regular donation of blood, achieving a total of 448 effective units.​​​​​​​ 

Why donate blood voluntarily?

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that the blood supply must come from voluntary donations to ensure the availability and safety of blood.

One of the objectives of the comprehensive program of the World Embassy of Activists for Peace is to strengthen the International Campaign “Life is in the Blood”, constituted by marathons and blood drives, in partnership with governmental and non-governmental health agencies and citizen participation, to increase voluntary blood donation.

“The objective of this donation campaign is to raise awareness in society about the need for a change in the blood donation system, to promote donation in a voluntary, altruistic and regular way”. William Soto Santiago, executive president of the GEAP.