First-Ever Event for World Blood Donor Day: Blood Transfusion Recipients and Their Families Personally Thank Donors

The Kanagawa Red Cross Blood Center (located in Kohoku-ku, Yokohama) will hold its first event on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the Yokohama SKY Blood Donation Room. At this event, blood transfusion recipients and their families will directly convey their gratitude to blood donors. This initiative is aligned with World Blood Donor Day (June 14) and aims to help people feel the 'connection to life' that exists beyond blood donation. *World Blood Donor Day is a commemorative day established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to broadly communicate the need for safe blood products and to express gratitude to those who cooperate in blood donation. On the day of the event, transfusion recipients and their families will visit the venue, personally say 'thank you' to each donor, and hand out My Number card cases printed with 'Voices of Thanks' messages received from medical institutions within the prefecture. Blood donation supports many lives, but donors rarely have the opportunity to realize the existence of the transfusion medicine and patients beyond their donation. This event provides a valuable opportunity to deepen that understanding. The venue will also feature poster displays introducing the 'Voices of Thanks' and a photo spot, visually conveying the significance of blood donation. Furthermore, on World Blood Donor Day, Sunday, June 14, the same card cases will be distributed at all blood donation rooms and blood donation buses in Kanagawa Prefecture as a token of gratitude for daily cooperation. [Date] Friday, June 12, 2026 [Time] 14:00-16:00 [Venue] Yokohama SKY Blood Donation Room (Sky Building 27F, 2-19-12 Takashima, Nishi-ku, Yokohama) [Contents] Handing over of My Number card cases by transfusion recipients and their families, 'Voices of Thanks' poster display, photo spot, interaction with blood donors.