The First Voluntary Blood Transfusion Service in the World

The establishment of the world’s first voluntary blood transfusion service marked a new era for blood donors. For the first time, there was a civil, organized blood donation service with a sufficient number of healthy blood donors of both sexes, mainly from the working class, who were willing to donate blood to patients when called upon. Attitudes toward blood donors improved considerably. The hospitals realized that their voluntary act of kindness was of the utmost importance in ensuring sufficient blood supply. Blood donors were made comfortable throughout the blood donation process. These humble beginnings eventually had an impact on other countries across the world. The service had its own list of blood donors with determined blood groups. They were reached on demand. The service worked day and night. Taking money to donate blood was strictly prohibited. In return, blood donors were rewarded with badges and certificates of their blood donation. Blood donors were recruited in several ways, including through promotional movies and lectures. Since its establishment in 1921, there have been thousands of demands for blood donors in the years that followed. This first honorable organization was founded by Percy Lane Oliver (1878–1944), a member of the Red Cross from London.