AABB Foundation World Blood Donor Day Virtual Race

Give Blood. Save Lives.

Blood is an important resource, both for planned treatments and urgent interventions. Every year, transfusions of blood and blood products save millions of lives, but many countries struggle with an inadequate supply of safe blood according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

To help encourage blood donations and collection, highlight the need for a safe blood supply, and to thank blood donors, WHO started World Blood Donor Day on June 14, coinciding with the birthday anniversary of Karl Landsteiner who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system.

Your participation in this global public health campaign brings important attention to how giving blood can help save lives. The AABB Foundation, through scientific research in all aspects of blood banking and topics such as patient blood management, is helping to advance AABB’s mission of improving lives by making transfusion medicine and biotherapies safe, available, and effective worldwide.

1. Sign up to register as an individual. You can create a new team. To join an existing team, answer "Yes" for the question, "Would you like to join a Team?" Click Continue and select the group/team you would like to join from the drop down menu.

2. Ask your friends, family, and co-workers to support you by joining your team or giving a contribution to your fundraiser.

3. Run, walk, roll, or pedal any 5K or 1-mile route between May 14 and June 14. You can even listen to a custom playlist created by race participants. 

4. Show your race pride in stride and post your photos, videos, and share on AABB’s Facebook,  X (Twitter),  LinkedIn,  and  Instagram.  You can also take pictures and email them to us. 

5. Celebrate your accomplishment by submitting your time to receive your finisher certificate.

Click below for more information:

Frequently Asked Questions

AABB Foundation Website

Receive a commemorative medal once you fundraise $100! Click here to create your fundraiser. 

Individuals and teams will also gain special recognition for going above-and-beyond in the following categories:

• Top Fundraiser

• Most Team Members

Encourage your family and friends to join you in making a difference through social media, text messages, and email. Here are sample templates to showcase your participation and get others involved: 

Sample Templates

1. Giving blood helps save lives! I’m getting active for World Blood Donor Day and participating in the AABB Foundation 5K/1-mile virtual race to raise awareness of the need for blood donations and support scientific research in transfusion medicine and biotherapies. Please consider joining the race with me! Register at https://bit.ly/3WmE2ex. 

2. I’m excited to share that I am taking on the AABB Foundation’s 5K/1-mile virtual race in honor of World Blood Donor Day. I wanted to ask you personally to consider joining my team to celebrate blood donors, raise awareness of the need for blood donations, and to get us one step closer to scientific breakthroughs in transfusion medicine and biotherapies for patients around the world. Giving blood helps save lives! Go to https://bit.ly/3WmE2ex to be part of Team [Enter Your Team Name Here]!