From this morning, Thursday, April 5, a blood-donation bus has been in front of the Palaceside Building’s west entrance (photo above) for a mobile blood drive, through tomorrow, Friday the 6th. At the 10 a.m. start of reception, people already came, some after rounding up colleagues. I donated 400 cc as well (photo at right).
In recent years the Palaceside Building has held a mobile drive twice a year, spring and autumn, two days each, and typically about 80 people take part. This year… the weather is a bit of a worry. A year ago the cherries were still in full bloom, and people seemed to stop by on the way back from hanami; this year the blossoms have almost all fallen, and the day is cloudy, so it looks like a bit of a struggle. Tomorrow the 6th should be finer than the 5th, with temperatures over 20°C, so a good juice after donating might not be a bad idea.
Reception is 10:00–11:00 a.m. and 12:15–4:00 p.m. The draw itself takes about 10 minutes, but with a doctor’s interview the whole process takes 30 to 40 minutes.
While medical advances have increased demand for blood in surgery and other care, donors have declined and supplies remain chronically short. This season is not as low as winter, but donations drop quite a bit, especially a sharp fall in the first half of April. Company transfers, school graduations and new terms keep people busy and unsettled, and help from schools, firms and groups is harder to get.
Everyone in the building and passersby, we warmly ask for your help.