Spain launches summer blood donation drives to keep hospital supplies full

In Alcázar de San Juan, a macro‑donation event on 20 July gathered dozens of donors at the Emilio Gavira Municipal Auditorium. Organized by the SESCAM Blood Donors Association together with the Ciudad Real Transfusion Centre, the campaign aimed to reinforce blood and plasma reserves before the summer period when routine donations usually fall. Local councillors, including Ana Isabel Abengózar and Patricia Benito, participated to encourage community involvement.

In Galicia’s Ourense province, the regional health authority activated the "Un alento de vida" campaign, with delegate Manuel Pardo and director José Beiras urging citizens to donate as “patients do not go on vacation, they need blood.” Ten mobile units and permanent local sites were deployed across the community to offset the seasonal dip in donations and meet higher demand from accidents and chronic patients. Both initiatives stress the same eligibility requirements: donors aged 18‑70 (or 18‑65 in Alcázar) and weighing at least 50 kg.