The blood emergency is on the rise after the pandemic, with a drop in donations becoming even more worrying ahead of the summer.
For this reason the thalassemia patients, forced to constant transfusions, launch an appeal: "Do not forget us".
And they are promoting a commercial to raise awareness of donation, presented today to the Ministry of Health.
1.8% fewer donors from 2019 to 2021 in our country.
A downward trend that has been going on for ten years now.
A reduction that is also recorded in the first months of 2022 and the risk is an emergency of blood shortage, in the summer period, even more accentuated.
Hence the decision of the Piera Cutino Association to launch an appeal.
"A campaign to raise awareness of donation through a commercial to explain how important this gesture is - says Giuseppe Cutino, founder of the Association -. For the commercial we did not choose actors but a real blood donor and a patient".
Despite the new therapies, blood transfusions "represent life-saving treatments for thalassemia patients", explains Gian Luca Forni, Director of the Microcythemia Department of the Galliera Hospital in Genoa.
It is necessary that "the Ministry of Health and that of Education invest in training, advertising and resources for this sector", says Aurelio Maggio, Director of the Franco and Piera Cutino Hematology Campus.
Blood collection is also affected by the effect of the pandemic.
This "reduction in donations will be decisive especially in the summer period, when there are shortages every year", says Donata Forioso, Head of Communications at the National Blood Center.
The spot was made with the support of the Sicily Foundation and Celgene.
The claim of the video 'We are all united by a red thread.
Never by chance.
Donate blood 'contains the message that "we want to transmit above all to the youngest - says Enza Ricotta, patient with thalassemia, protagonist of the commercial -. Blood donation is essential for us thalassemia patients, without transfusions we cannot live and summer it is a very complicated period for us ".
"Knowing that someone is able to live thanks to you is an indescribable emotion.
