Plush toy blood donation in a Teddy Clinic: a new approach to recruit new blood donors, to establish an early and fix bond of future blood donors and to make Transfusion Medicine more visible

New blood donors often only find their way to the donation centers through role models in their circle of family and friends. In addition, the overall number of blood donations has been decreasing for years. In order to raise awareness of blood donation among more people and to bond future blood donors at an early stage we established an innovative approach by having a cooperation with the Teddy Clinic (TC) of the local university: a blood donation for teddy bears, dolls and other plush toys.

The TC is operated by students of medicine to give children a playful understanding of diagnostics and therapy and to reduce fears. The TC regularly visits kindergartens and offers large public events at least twice a year. Together with its child and a TeddyDoc the plush toy or doll goes through different stations. If necessary, surgery is simulated in an operating room (OR). To simulate blood donation, we have produced miniature blood units filled with artificial blood. After passing an examination and laboratory tests it is determined whether the plush toy is healthy enough for a blood donation. The plush toy blood can be used to save another plush toy's life in the OR. All children get an individualized book (U-Heft) as a souvenir.

The children were enthusiastic about the new plush toy blood donation station. They were able to see first-hand how the plush toy blood was used to heal another plush toy which was undergoing surgery in a neighboring OR. At the first public event with plush toy blood donation, which took place near one of our donation centers, several accompanying parents went directly to our donation center to donate blood or made an appointment for a blood donation. After the event, the children showed their U-Heft around to family and friends and proudly talked about the teddy blood donation. They also wanted to watch pictures and movies about the event available in the internet and the parents shared the links with other family members and friends.

The plush toy blood donation not only raises awareness among the accompanying adults and directly encourages them to donate blood. Moreover, children learn in a formative phase that donating blood is life-saving. Like a fix bond with a certain product brand or an organization, this cooperation helps to create an early bond to the life-saving topic of blood donation and to gain more new donors in the future. In addition, the project helps to make Transfusion Medicine more visible.

no conflict of interest