Italy launches summer blood donation campaign to counter seasonal shortage

The A. Do. Vo. S. Messapica association in Casarano issued an appeal urging residents to donate blood and plasma during the summer, warning that the holiday period traditionally reduces collections while hospital demand remains unchanged. The campaign emphasizes that a few minutes of donation can "be the sun for someone" and notes that transfusion centres in Casarano, Galatina, Gallipoli and Lecce are open daily.

AVIS Lombardy, supported by the Lombardy Region, AREU and the Regional Blood Centre, launched a parallel summer campaign using sport language to stress that the “most important game” continues year‑round. In 2025 the Lombardy network recorded 370,751 whole‑blood units and 89,210 plasma units, an 8.97 % rise over 2024, yet it still falls short of full regional self‑sufficiency. Both initiatives stress that blood and plasma are essential for surgeries, emergency care and life‑saving therapies, and they call on citizens to schedule donations before holiday travel.