Roma blood donation event also sends a message

A Roma blood donation event was held in Banská Bystrica on August 6 aimed collecting needed blood for transfusions and demonstrate that people of different skin colour have the same blood.

A Roma blood donation event was held in Banská Bystrica on August 6 aimed collecting needed blood for transfusions and demonstrate that people of different skin colour have the same blood.

“We don’t divide blood into white and black, we all have the same – red,” Government Proxy for Roma Communities Peter Pollák told the TASR newswire. “There are only donors and non-donors. I’m glad that it’s [Our Slovakia People's Party-led] Banská Bystrica of all cities where we’d like to show the top officials that we have the same blood. Who knows, one day maybe even they will need Roma blood. We’re ready to give it to anyone.”

The Roma blood donor event was held for the first time in co-operation with the National Transfusion Station in Banská Bystrica which created a mobile station at Banská Bystrica district office for three hours. During the first hour, more than 20 donors showed up. Mobilised by the campaign waged through social media by NGOs, Roma from throughout Slovakia – from Bratislava to the eastern regions – came to donate the customary 450 millilitres of blood.

Although not part of the original plan, the event is in line with the four-day festival of traditional and modern Roma culture that began in Banská Bystrica on the same day. “In one city, we can show our culture as well as donate our Roma blood,” Pollák said.

(Source: TASR)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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