The IBTS have launched its #MissingType campaign for August.
Numerous organisations and companies across Ireland are dropping AB & O from their logos to support the IBTS in highlighting what it is like when these types are missing.
These include Irish Rail, Dublin City Council, Lidl, and yes, us here at Beat.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival and its lead sponsor, Tipperary Crystal are also supporting the campaign.
“People rarely think about whether their blood type is A, B or O – many of us don’t even know our own blood type.
"But if that ‘type’ was to go missing in everyday life, people would start to pay closer attention to the need for blood. Patients are not concerned about their type but do worry whether blood will be there for them when they need it,” said Paul McKinney, IBTS Operations Director.
“Between 2010 and 2015 the number of new donors attending has dropped by 21% Last year the average age of a donor was 41.4 years old and in 2010 it was 38.9. In 2010 the number of donors who gave blood aged 18-35 was 40,643. In 2016 it was 29,697 which is a fall of 27%.
We need to address this reduction and attract more, younger donors to ensure sufficiency of supply.
The #MissingType initiative is part of the IBTS campaign to recruit an additional 5,000 new donors before the end of the year” said IBTS Operations Director Paul McKinney.
What do you need to do to support IBTS?
Share a social media post with your name or a message missing any A, B or Os and add the hashtags #MissingType and #Giveblood to spread the message for more donors
Attend a clinic when they are next in your area – see www.giveblood.ie to find a local clinic.
Image: Dominic Walsh Photography
