Palma blood donation bus opens Wednesday at cathedral
A blood donation bus will operate beside Palma Cathedral next Wednesday from 09.30 to 19.30, giving people a chance to give blood, get advice or join the bone marrow donor register. The Unidad Militar de Emergencias, Spain’s military emergency unit, is staging the UMedula event with the Balearic Islands Blood and Tissue Bank. Activities run from 10.00 to 18.00 in Palau Reial and Mirador streets.
UME will bring vehicles, equipment and other resources for people to see. A tent with stationary spinning bikes will also be set up, with riders taking 30-minute turns.
Information points will explain blood donation and bone marrow registration, aimed at increasing the number of potential donors for patients who need transplants or blood transfusions.
Blood donors who meet the bone marrow register’s conditions can use the same blood draw for the sample needed for tissue typing, avoiding a second needle prick.
Blood donors must be aged 18 to 65, weigh more than 50 kilos and be in good health. Each donation takes 450 millilitres of blood, which is analysed and separated into red blood cells, platelets and plasma for patients with different needs.
Bone marrow donor registration is open to people aged 18 to 40 who meet the health requirements. Once registered, they remain available on the register until they are 60.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com