Sarreguemines. Summer Blood Donation: A Crucial Act of Solidarity Despite Vacation Departures

In the summer, with people going on vacation, blood donations are rarer. This initiative remains essential because demand does not decrease during this period. In Sarreguemines , a blood drive is organized once a month. Many donors are regulars. This is the case for Daniel: "I've been doing this for almost fifty years. For me, it's become routine!"

For all, the motivation is civic. Sébastien assures: "I told myself that I had to help, so I gave my blood. For a hospital, it's surely more useful than money." Another Sarreguemines resident felt the need to help last Tuesday, August 12. Hervé says: "I started giving blood to the army. Then, I continued in civilian life."

Doctors are there to provide information to donors. Hervé remembers his first donation to the army. "They took a sample from me even though I hadn't had breakfast. I fainted!" When he donated again, this time as a civilian, he was anxious. "I was afraid to do it again, but the nurses at the time reassured me, and everything went well."

Marie-Christine describes her blood test: "I don't feel a thing, the nurses do their job well!" She adds: "I work in a hospital, so I'm sensitive to patients. You're never safe, so donating blood helps in case of problems. Even during the holidays, I try to make myself available to donate."

For Marie Elmerich, responsible for blood donation development in Moselle, summer is worrying for stocks. "Every day, we need 1,500 bags of blood in the Grand Est region. In France, that's 10,000 bags every day." During the August 15 bank holiday, the French Blood Establishment is worried about its stocks: "We can keep a bag of blood for 42 days. But the demand is so high that we can't keep any for that long."

Blood donations take place every day in Moselle. "We try to be everywhere in the country to collect enough reserves," explains the employee of the French Blood Establishment. "Summer is always complicated; it's not easy for our stocks. People are on vacation, so there are fewer donors."

However, Sarreguemines is not affected by a drop in attendance. Christiane Weishard, president of the association for donations in Moselle-Est, assures: "There is no drop in the municipality. Donations in Sarreguemines have always worked well!"

The next blood donations will take place in Grosbliederstroff on August 20, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Games and Leisure Center, and in Woustviller on August 29, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Prince-Ringuet complex.