Annual blood donation marathon kicks off all over Catalonia

Blood banks all over Catalonia quickly began filling up on Friday morning as people turned out to donate to the 2018 Blood Marathon Campaign, which goes on until January 18 with the goal of 10,000 donations.

The New Year is always a period when blood reserves are low, and currently Catalan hospitals have enough for 6 or 7 days, when the optimum amount is 10 or 11 days, according to the head of the Catalan Blood and Tissue Bank in Tarragona, Virginia Callao.

This year's campaign above all hopes to attract young people, with the aim that they will spread the word about the Blood Marathon on social media. As a result, in this campaign people are encouraged to get involved and become 'sangfluencers' or 'bloodfluencers.'

Top DJs perform for donors

Barcelona's Casa de les Punxes on Diagonal avenue even has top DJs this year to celebrate the beginning of the campaign. On Friday and Saturday, the likes of Alfred Gracía, Delafé, Joana Serrat, Núria Graham and Shuarma will be spinning from 11am until 9pm.

Yet donors do not have to go to the Casa de les Punxes in person to enjoy the music, as they can listen to the performances via earphones in hospitals through Facebook. Specially prepared playlists of music have been prepared for donors throughout the week.

People can donate blood in the Catalan capital's main hospitals, as well as in those in major towns all over Catalonia. A host of information about the Marathon, and the place to make a reservation to donate blood is on the campaign's website.