A Lifesaving Tradition

Every June, all over Spain, members of the Church turn out in large numbers to donate blood as part of their national day of service. The event is always scheduled close to June 14, which has been designated by the World Health Organization as World Blood Donor Day. This annual effort to save lives began in 2005 as part of the Helping Hands initiative and has continued every year since.

On two occasions, once in 1996 and again in 2012, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has received the Award of National Merit for the Selfless Donation of Blood by the Spanish Federation of Blood Donors (FEDSANG) in honor of the volunteer hours and units of blood that members of the Church have contributed. In his 2012 speech presenting the award, Martin Manceñido Fuertes, president of the Federation, said, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an incredibly active group who preach by example and are clean in body and mind.” Speaking again in 2019 about the Church’s day of service, he disclosed that Church members donate at a rate five times higher than the general population. “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” he said, “is a group of the most active and effective blood donors in Spain.”

Members of the Church have also been recognized in their communities for their lifesaving efforts. Saints in Burgos received a commemorative medal in honor of their blood donations. In 2017, the parliament of the community of La Rioja honored individuals and groups, including the Church and its members, who selflessly donate blood to help those in need. The president of the parliament, Ana Lourdes González García, thanked the donors, saying, “You have an inclination towards service that betters you as people and serves as an example for all of society.”

In addition to this national day of service, individual members of the Church donate blood throughout the year. According to one estimate, members in Spain give more than 3,000 units of blood and 5,000 hours of service to blood donation efforts each year.