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(From left: Anri Taira and Miho Ueda)
Kasumi-bloodonors is 亚色视频’s blood donation promotion club. The group actively calls for blood donations through drives held twice a year at the Kasumi Campus and during events at major shopping centers, aiming to increase the number of young donors.
On August 1, 2024, the club received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture at the 2024 Hiroshima Prefecture Blood Donation Promotion Awards Ceremony, organized by the Chugoku-Shikoku Block Blood Center.
We spoke with Kasumi-bloodonors Club President Miho Ueda (a third-year student in the School of Medicine at the time of the interview) and Anri Taira (same year and program) to learn more about their initiatives and thoughts on blood donation.
(Interview conducted on February 12, 2025)
Why did you join Kasumi-bloodonors?
| Miho: | I was part of the student council in high school and had experienced volunteering once or twice for blood donation promotion activities, so I thought I’d continue in university. Also, a friend from high school recommended the club, and that played a big role in why I decided to join. |
| Anri: | I had never donated blood or been involved in blood donation activities, but I decided to join after a friend introduced me to the club. |
What activities is Kasumi-bloodonors involved in?
| (1) | Organizing blood donation campaigns and using social media for promotion In cooperation with the Hiroshima Red Cross Blood Center, we help organize on-campus blood donation campaigns twice a year (once in April and once in December) by bringing blood donation buses to the Kasumi Campus. We start promoting the events on social media a week before, and begin in-person outreach on campus two days prior. We also make signs and select small thank-you gifts to donors, and on the day of the drive, we guide participants through the donation process. |
"Calling for donations through promotion signs with Kenketsu-chan, the blood donation mascot"
| (2) | Visiting the Blood Center to gain a deeper understanding of the blood donation process Every summer, we visit the Hiroshima Red Cross Blood Center, and there, we have the opportunity to hear directly from Dr. Masao Kobayashi, an advisor to the Japanese Red Cross Society Chugoku-Shikoku Block Blood Center. During these sessions, he shares the current state of blood donation in Japan and emphasizes the importance of raising awareness among younger generations. We also learn about the journey of donated blood starting from collection and how it is processed into various blood products used in medical care. |
The 16 members who participated in the tour at the Hiroshima Red Cross Blood Center
Members learn about how blood donation works in a space set up like a blood donation bus
| (3) | Volunteering at blood donation promotion events We also volunteer at blood donation events held by the Hiroshima Red Cross Blood Center at shopping malls such as AEON and LECT, assisting with the operation of the blood donation buses and other event activities. |
- Number of members: 28 (11 first-year, 8 second-year, and 9 third-year students) as of AY2024
- Annual activity schedule
| February | Prepare to recruit new members |
| March ~ May | Recruit new members |
| March | Hold meeting with the Student Support Group and Red Cross student coordinator for the spring on-campus blood drive |
| April | Spring on-campus blood drive |
| May | Welcome party for new members |
| August | Visit to the Blood Center |
| October | Kasumi University Festival (Organizing exhibits related to blood donation) |
| November | Hold meeting with the Student Support Group and Red Cross student coordinator for the winter on-campus blood drive |
| December | Winter on-campus blood drive |
How do you think you’ve grown through your club activities? Please share a story or example.
| Anri: | I first joined the club out of curiosity, but through training sessions and hearing stories from people who had received blood transfusions, I was able to deeply understand the importance of blood donation. Now, I actively think about how we can promote blood donation and encourage more people to take part. |
| Miho: |
I came to truly understand that blood transfusions rely on the support of many people, and that modern healthcare is made possible because of their contributions. I also improved my communication skills and became more proactive. At first, I was hesitant to approach people, but as I kept thinking of ways to grab their attention, I gradually gained confidence. During events at shopping malls, more people began to see blood donation as something familiar, and we started getting more questions from people. I remember a moment when a child saw our blood donation sign and became curious, asking their mother, “What’s blood donation?” and I watched as she explained it. Seeing moments like that made me feel happy and proud that our activities were making a difference. |
As a representative, please tell us what you keep in mind during your club activities.
| Miho: | I often communicate with adults and professionals, such as staff from the Red Cross Blood Center, so I make sure to be polite and respectful at all times. Within the club, I also try to create a comfortable environment where everyone can freely share their opinions. I work to make sure responsibilities are shared equally so that each member can feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment. |
| Anri: |
As a representative, I try to take part in as many activities as possible. Last year (2024), I attended a training session where students from across the Chugoku and Shikoku regions gathered. It was a great opportunity to interact with other university students and learn about their promotion activities. It was very inspiring. Kasumi-bloodonors was established in December 2019 and is now in its fifth year. Although we are still a relatively new group, I hope to continue expanding our activities through more exchanges and collaboration. |
October 2024
Two-day Chugoku-Shikoku training session (Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture)
Tell us about your future goals.
Currently, the number of blood donors in their 10s to 30s is not growing as much compared to those in their 40s and 50s. Our main goal is to increase blood donation among younger generations like ours and increase people who consider donating blood a regular habit.
For this year’s on-campus blood drives, we actively used social media platforms such as Instagram and X. Together with the support from the Hiroshima Red Cross Blood Center, we were able to select attractive commemorative gifts, such as mobile batteries and aroma oils, that appealed to younger generations. As a result, we exceeded our goal of 62 donors in both the spring and winter drives (Spring: 62 → 79, Winter: 62 → 66). Thanks to these efforts, we were honored to receive a letter of appreciation from the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture in August 2024.
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Some people say that once they’ve donated blood once, they no longer feel hesitant about it. So moving forward, one of our main challenges will be figuring out how to encourage those who have never donated before to take that first step.
Currently, most of our activities are focused on the Kasumi Campus, but we hope to expand blood donation promotion efforts to other campuses like Higashi-Senda and Higashi-Hiroshima. Our goal is to increase the number of student donors across all of 亚色视频.
August 2024
Hiroshima Prefecture Blood Donation Promotion Awards Ceremony
Blood donation promotional character, Kenketsu-chan, participating in the Kasumi University Festival
What happens to the blood collected through donation?
The blood collected through donation is sent to a regional blood center, where it undergoes thorough testing. After that, it is separated into its different components and turned into blood products, which are then delivered to medical institutions upon request.
Different types of blood products are used for transfusion, including red blood cells, plasma, and platelet products. Each is used depending on what the patient needs. In some cases, whole blood is used directly for transfusion. In the past, this procedure, known as whole blood transfusion, was more common, but in the modern age, the standard has become component transfusion, where only the necessary parts of the blood are used and collected.
The process for blood donation
There are two main types of blood donation: whole blood donation (200mL or 400mL) and component donation. Blood donation buses only offer whole blood donation, while blood donation rooms allow you to donate whole blood, plasma, or platelets.
The donation begins with registration, followed by a brief medical interview and pre-donation testing. If no issues are found, the blood collection process starts.
After donating, you will receive your blood test results, which include blood pressure, pulse, seven biochemical markers, and eight blood cell count indicators. In some cases, blood donation has led to the early detection of serious illnesses such as acute leukemia and acute hepatitis.
Currently, blood used for transfusions cannot be artificially produced or stored long-term, so ongoing blood donations are important for the medical field.
We sincerely encourage your support, and please consider donating blood!
Number of blood donors by age group in Hiroshima Prefecture
The colored lines show how blood donations have changed over time for each age group: 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.
- Kasumi-Bloodonor (亚色视频 Blood Donation Promotion Club) – Instagram
- Click here for more interviews from "HU Students Venturing Out Into the World"
(Interview conducted in February 2025 / Public Relations Office G)
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