The 16th-132nd Worldwide Blood Drive

A Heat Wave from the “Festival to Share Life” Swept over the Global Village

Blood is life. So we can say that blood donation is the noblest practice to give love and life to others. However, during summer and winter when people rarely donate blood, patients suffer from shortage of blood reserves regardless of which country they live in.

To help the neighbors whose life is at risk if they do not receive blood transfusion, the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation’s blood drive was held in various regions of the world. Starting with the 16th blood drive held in Suwon, Korea, on July 2, the Worldwide Blood Drive was conducted 117 times in 40 major cities throughout the world until the 132nd blood drive was held in Denver, Colorado, USA, on September 4. a total of 17,949 people, mainly the WeLoveU Foundation members, took part in the drive and 8,702 people among them were qualified to donate blood. As well as donating blood, they donated 4,407 donor cards.

In Korea, a total of 7,695 people participated in the blood drive in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Ulsan, Suwon, Yongin, Gangneung, Chungju, Jeonju and Jinju. Outside of Korea, a total of 10,254 people in 100 cities of 39 countries of the world—India, Nepal, Mongolia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, USA, Peru, Mexico, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina, Guatemala, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Rep. of South Africa, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Zambia and Malawi—participated in the drive.

Most of the blood drives were conducted in hospitals or blood centers, and to draw citizens’ participation, some of them were held in the city halls, town squares or parks where many people gather. The 37th blood drive hosted by the Gangneung branch, Korea, was held in Gangneung Gymnasium and air force base at the same time unprecedentedly, so many citizens and soldiers could unite their minds to save lives.

Every blood drive was in a festive mood as the members volunteered to donate their blood with a joyful heart and they held campaign to the citizens. When there was the 105th blood drive in Kolkata, India, the members not only donated blood in good order and with joy, but also cleaned the place after finishing the drive. This surprised the hospital staff, so they said, “This is amazing. I’ve never seen this kind of volunteer organization that helps people with sincerity.”

When the 34th blood drive was held in Las Americas Hospital in Medellin, Colombia, the WeLoveU’s Foundation’s volunteer service activities and the blood drive were broadcast on TV for four consecutive days before the event, so it enlightened the importance of blood drive to the citizens. And when the 31st blood drive that was held in Kist Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, invited guests and hospital staff such as the Representative of Nepal Freedom Solidarity, the chief editor of a monthly magazine, doctors and nurses participated in the blood drive. They said, “This is by far the largest blood drive in history of Nepal. We were deeply moved.”

When the 78th blood drive was held in Manila, Philippines, Alfredo S. Lim the Mayor of the city of Manila visited the spot and encouraged 500 WeLoveU Foundation members and citizens. It even happened that some volunteers could not donate blood due to the lack of bed at the largest blood drive ever recorded. At the 82nd blood drive, the city government of Dallas, TX, USA, supported the members to use the city hall for the drive; the city officials and councilors were moved by the members’ donating blood and they notified of their intention that they wanted to support the WeLoveU’s other activities in the future.

“If it were not for the WeLoveU Foundation’s blood drive, we could not save many lives.” The staff from the blood centers and hospitals, who helped the blood drive, did not stop praising the Foundation. The members who were willing to donate blood said, “We can save precious lives when we overcome fear and pain for an instance,” and talked about how proud they were because they could give life to others, wearing a bright smile. Even now, the happy festival to give love—the WeLoveU Foundation’s blood drive—is being done in various places of our global village.