The Finnish Red Cross (FRC) Blood Service is calling for more people with foreign backgrounds to donate blood. That's because some rare blood types that are more common among certain ethnic groups.
Catherine D'Costa is one of those who have chosen to donate blood. She moved to Finland from Bangladesh three years ago to study.
"Donating blood is like giving a gift of life," D'Costa tells Yle's Swedish-language news service.
Some less-common blood types are more prevalent among some populations. For example, U-negative blood type is rare in Finland but more common among people of African descent. Therefore, as Finland becomes more multicultural, its blood bank must also be able to supply different needs.
D'Costa was surprised to hear about rare blood types.
"Now it feels even more important to donate and spread the message," she says.
D'Costa had donated blood before in Bangladesh, where blood is often donated directly to a specific patient.
"Once, I got to meet a patient and his family. Then I saw with my own eyes how I could help someone," she recalls.
She admires the Finnish system, which she sees as more centralised and efficient in finding the right blood for the right recipient.
Group-based communication
D'Costa gave blood at an donation event through a WhatsApp message from Lukumanu Iddrisu, an SDP council member in the west-coast town of Vaasa.
"It's a nice gesture to bring people together to donate blood. It's also good for community building," says Iddrisu.
The biggest obstacle to getting people of foreign background to donate blood is that they don't know about it, he says.
"Foreigners have a lot of trust in the Finnish healthcare system. The problem is that they aren't aware that there is an opportunity to donate," Iddrisu tells Yle.
So Iddrisu took the initiative and started spreading the word about donating blood. That led to a local collaboration with the Red Cross Blood Service. Iddrisu reached out to a variety of people through various communities, including religious groups.
"Finns often take their own initiative and go out to donate. Foreigners often work in groups, and if you want to reach out, you have to talk to association leaders, imams or pastors," he says.
Interest has grown. At the first event early last year, about 15 people donated blood. The most recent event at the Vaasa Soldiers' Home attracted more than 25 people.
"The feedback has been positive. People feel a sense of pride in saving lives," says Iddrisu.
Iddrisu hopes to keep organising blood donation events at least once a year.
- You are between 18 and 70 years old.
- You weigh between 50 and 200 kilograms.
- You are a permanently resident of an EU or EFTA country or in the UK and you have a Finnish personal identity number.
- Your haemoglobin value is 125–175 g/l (for women) and 135–195 g/l (for men).
- You are healthy and sober.
