Adeje has officially handed over the reins for blood donation drives in the Canaries to Güímar. The boroughs are chosen annually by the ICHH, the Canarian haemodonation and haemotherapy institute under the umbrella of the regional government. In previous years the responsibility has been undertaken by San Cristóbal de La Laguna (2015), Guia de Isora (2016), Los Realejos (2017), Santa Cruz de la Palma (2018), Granadilla de Abona (2019) and La Orotava (2020-2021).
Adeje has been running a series of awareness raising and donation campaigns throughout 2022 The theme was (translated) ‘Join the red energy brigade”, symbolising blood as the energy that is converted into life. The main objective of the project was awareness raising, making people realise the importance of blood and blood donation needed for transfusions and other life-saving operations.
The Adeje mayor José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga commented, “Today we celebrate life, the red energy that unites us. Today, with this official act, we have met many people from different parts of the island who have shown the value of solidarity and togetherness in promoting a common cause, which is donating something that we all need.
“Among the noise of war, illnesses, the tragedies we face, there has to be hope, with have to continue to value positivity, and work together to solve difficulties and donate blood, and bring hope to those who need it.” He added that during the campaign in Adeje over 300 individuals donated blood for public health centres and hospitals.
Adeje’s councillor for health, Amada Trujillo Bencomo, said the campaign in Adeje had been very significant, and all the local volunteer groups and collectives had been very willing to help. “Our blood banks need to be active because donating blood is donating life. We saw the commitment of the people of Adeje during our activities and obviously people can continue to donate too”:
María Teresa Gutiérrez Izquierdo, president of the ICHH, said “the commitment shown by Adeje was very visible at some of the most difficult times, during the pandemic, with a fixed point where people could go to donate”. She said that Adeje had taken on the challenge of being the HQ for the recent celebration of World Blood Donation Day and the solidarity of the people of Adeje was evident.
In the last year the activities in Adeje included reaching out to various population groups, in schools and colleges, which saw the participation of 820 people, in collectives such as police, taxi drivers, who promoted the blood drive on their vehicles, voluntary fire fighters, sports clubs, public and private companies and shopping centres. Over 300 people donated blood during the drive, all for use in our public health centres and hospitals.
During the official act certain individuals and groups received special mention. Jeetendra Harjani Harjani and Andrea Rodríguez Ravelo made the most donations. The youngest donors were Ricardo Delgado Delgado and Nazareth Del Rosario Hernández and Juan López Zamora donated the most platelets.
Primary schools that were named were those in Fañabé, Adeje town, Las Torres, Los Olivos, Armeñime, Tijoco and both secondary schools in the borough. Education centres in other parts of the island were also thanked - CIP Camino de la Villa, Colegio Santa Catalina de Siena FESD, IES Las Indias and the University of La Laguna.
Groups and collectives specifically names were Ambrosio Jiménez del Centro Comercial el Trompo, Fundación Adrián Hoteles, Murga Diablos Locos, Asociación Corazones de Tejina and Spot publicity for the ICHH, the army, Policía Nacional, Guardia Civil, Adeje Policía Local and the Adeje volunteer fire brigade as well as the teams in the Adeje health centres.
Private institutions and companies thanked included Navieras Armas, Fred Olsen, port workers /stevedores, Mac, Montesano, CD Tenerife, Lenovo Tenerife, Auto Taxi Villa de Adeje co-operative, Leroy Merlin, CC Galeón Outlet, CC Siam Mall, CC X-Sur, CC Rosa Center, Hotel Suite Villa María, Hotel H10 Adeje Palace, Hotel Paradise Park, Hotel Gran Tacande, Hotel Jardines De Nivaria, Hotel Fañabé, Binter Canarias and Hotel Marilanza.
The Adeje mayor officially handed over the responsibility to the Social Services and Health councillor for Güímar, José Miguel Hernández Fernández. That borough will host the international event in 2023.
Department of Communications
