Vienna – Austria’s Red Cross and the St. Anna Children’s Hospital issued a joint appeal Friday for increased blood donations, warning that dwindling supplies are jeopardizing cancer treatment for children and adults. The call came during a press conference at the St. Anna Kinderspital, where officials highlighted the critical role of blood transfusions in modern oncology.
“Without our voluntary blood donors, we absolutely could not care for our patients here,” said Ursula Kreil, Deputy Medical Director of the Blood Donation Center for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland. She emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that “the birth-strong generations are now slowly going into ‘blood donor retirement,’” creating a shortfall that must be addressed with younger donors.
Approximately 350,000 blood transfusions are administered to patients annually across Austria, with over 40 percent going to individuals with chronic illnesses, including cancer patients, according to the Red Cross. Kreil stressed the precious nature of blood, stating, “Blood is a limited and extremely valuable resource and must be used very responsibly.”
The need is particularly acute for young cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Professor Andishe Attarbaschi, Co-Director of St. Anna Kinderspital, explained that chemotherapy not only targets cancerous cells but also severely damages the body’s own blood-forming system. “That means the children develop into anemic,” he said. “The children get headaches, want to sleep, and are listless. The heart races. Younger children sometimes cope with this better.”
Attarbaschi detailed the dangers of severe anemia, explaining that a lack of red blood cells impairs oxygen transport, while a deficiency in platelets can lead to life-threatening bleeding. “If you don’t have enough platelets, you can bleed heavily, which can be fatal. If you have too few blood cells, the organs can fail and the children can die,” he stated.
Despite these challenges, treatment outcomes have dramatically improved in recent decades. “In the 1960s, we practically couldn’t save any children, and today, in 2026, we cure up to 85 percent of all children and adolescents with cancer,” Attarbaschi said, attributing the progress to the availability of blood transfusions, which allow for more intensive chemotherapy regimens.
Sarah Elmers, a 21-year-traditional who was diagnosed with acute bilineal leukemia at age ten, shared her experience. She received 93 blood transfusions during her treatment and is now in remission. “The blood transfusions contributed to me being here today, and I am very grateful for that,” Elmers said. She described how the transfusions restored her strength, allowing her to regain a normal life after experiencing debilitating side effects from chemotherapy.
The Austrian Red Cross currently provides 3,000 erythrocyte concentrates and 1,500 platelet concentrates to the St. Anna Kinderspital each year, according to the Österreichische Rotes Kreuz. Officials reiterated their call for young people to consider donating blood, emphasizing that even a small contribution of time can save a life.
