The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) will again be taking part in the international Missing Type campaign, from June 11 to 18.
This is an innovative bid to attract new, young blood donors.
The campaign asks organisations to remove the letters A, B and O (symbolising the “missing” blood types with the same letters) from their logos or names for a week.
“Since launching globally a few years ago, the initiative has notched up phenomenal success, spurring thousands of new blood donors to sign up worldwide,” said Silungile Mlambo, the SANBS’s chief marketing officer.
The SANBS hopes this irreverent “disappearing act” will similarly weave a special kind of magic, where only one per cent of South Africans give blood regularly.
“Imagine life without the letters A, B and O, let alone scrabble!” said Mlambo.
“South African big business has the power to change the fact that our country faces constant blood shortages – and save lives at the same time.
“It really is critical for the SANBS to replenish blood stocks at this time of year, with the school holidays just around the corner. This will inevitably cause a spike in the demand for blood transfusions,” said Mlambo.
“We are confident that our #MissingType campaign will help boost supply by capturing the imagination of South African businesses and their employees.”
Mlambo said the public can also get involved by deleting the “blood types” from their names on social media for the week of June 11 to 18.
“Because if you think about it, a South Africa without A, B and O would just be S_uth _fric_. It just wouldn’t be the same. However, with the help of the private sector and the public, we can fill in the blanks in our blood supply and keep stocks at healthy levels.”
For those in Boksburg, you can donate blood at the East Rand Square Donor Centre (183 Bentel Avenue, Jansen park).
Minimum requirements to be a blood donor:
- Be between the age of 16 – 65 years
- Weigh more than 50kg
- Be in good health
- Live a sexually safe lifestyle.
Visit www.sanbs.org.za or call 0800 11 90 31 for more information or to find out where to volunteer as a blood donor.
Join the #MissingType conversation on Twitter (@theSANBS), Facebook (@SANBS) and Instagram (@thesanbs).
