Red Cross Flanders teams up with businesses to boost plasma donations
More than 150 companies have joined a campaign by Red Cross Flanders aimed at encouraging more plasma donations through corporate partnerships.
The initiative was launched in May in collaboration with the employer organisation Voka. "There is still a great potential of people who could become plasma donors in companies," says Jan Poté, spokesperson for Red Cross Flanders. In Finland, 20 per cent of plasma donations are company-driven, compared to 3 per cent in Belgium.
Since the campaign's launch, the participating companies have generated more than 600 additional plasma donations. Each company receives a label of the slogan, and in May, companies with the highest donation rates will be awarded the title Company with the Biggest Heart.
Pharmaceutical company Sanofi is one of the early adopters of the campaign, organising "blood plasma days" for employees, who can donate plasma during work hours. This week, around 20 employees from Sanofi's Diegem office will be contributing plasma.
"The reason for starting this was the contact we had with a patient who needed a huge amount of plasma to combat her illness," said spokesperson Evi Dekegel. "We think it is very important to contribute to the health and well-being of patients in this way. We also try to motivate employees to donate throughout the year, beyond our blood plasma days."
Red Cross Flanders aims to increase donations by 5 per cent each year until 2029 as part of a federal agreement. Ultimately, the organisation hopes to become self-sufficient in plasma, reducing reliance on foreign supplies. This requires an additional 5,000 to 6,000 new donors each year.
To support this expansion, Red Cross Flanders plans to open two new donor centres a year, growing from its current 14 locations to 24 by 2029. Construction of the first centre, in Oudenaarde, is under way, and is due to open in the spring.
Plasma plays a critical role in medical treatments, serving as a raw material in medications for patients with immune disorders, haemophilia, cancer and Parkinson’s disease. It is also essential in emergency care, such as for patients with severe burns.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO DENIS CHARLET / AFP
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