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Celebrated this Tuesday (25), National Blood Donor Day further promotes the importance of keeping stocks supplied and encouraging new volunteers throughout Acre. The date, created to thank those who donate and thank them for their gesture of solidarity, gained even more strength this year with the special programming of Hemoacre and the State Department of Health (Sesacre).
Hemoacre Race/Photo: Tiago Araújo
As part of the Donor Week activities, Hemoacre promoted last Sunday (23) the second edition of the Race for Life, which brought together civil servants, donors and those who practice physical activity on a 5 km route through the streets of Rio Branco. The start took place at 6:30 am, in front of the Hemoacre headquarters, on Avenida Getúlio Vargas, opening the program with energy and engagement.
Hemoacre’s general manager, Thereza Picado, explained that the success of the first edition consolidated the race as a fixed activity on the annual calendar. According to her, the mobilization reinforces both the importance of donation and the encouragement of regular exercise.
Hemoacre highlights criteria, inspiring stories and the daily need for blood in the state/Photo: ContilNet
In addition to external actions, Hemoacre continues to intensify guidance to the population on the criteria for donating. Any healthy person between 16 and 69 years old — minors require authorization — can contribute, as long as they meet the basic requirements: being fed, weighing more than 50 kg, carrying official identification with a photo and having slept at least six hours the night before.
Donor Week programming strengthens engagement and draws attention to Hemoacre stocks/Photo: ContilNet
The process begins with screening, divided into two stages. In the first, the volunteer undergoes weighing and a hemoglobin test, which identifies possible cases of anemia. They then participate in an interview that assesses health status, vaccination history, recent travel and possible risk situations, such as sex without a condom with multiple partners or drug use.
Once everything is approved, collection takes place in a simple procedure, which lasts between 5 and 10 minutes. Frequent donors can apply to donate platelets, a longer process (about 1h30) recommended mainly for patients facing cancer.
Stories from frequent donors show the impact of the gesture that saves lives every day/Photo: ContilNet
On this National Donor Day, Hemoacre also valued stories of those who transformed the act of donating into part of their lives. Seu Albino, a pastor and soldier, has been donating platelets since 1994, when he helped a friend’s relative and has never stopped contributing since. Another example is that of mathematics teacher Matheus Alexandre, aged 30, who started out motivated by a school competition and now donates regularly.
The institution reinforces that, although commemorative dates attract attention, the need for blood is daily. Therefore, it invites the population to maintain this gesture of solidarity and continue strengthening the chain that saves lives in the state and across the country.
