The Madrid population has once again demonstrated its solidarity with a response described as "impressive" to the call to donate blood after the railway accident recorded this Wednesday in Urda (Toledo), to the point that the Community of Madrid has asked to space out donations and to come preferably starting this Thursday.
"The response of the people of Madrid to the request for blood donation is being impressive. So much so, that we ask those who want to do so to wait until tomorrow and the following days, when it will continue to be just as necessary," the regional president has asked in a note on her personal account on the social network 'X'.
The Transfusion Center issued an urgent call for the groups "0+", "0-", "A+", "A-" and "B-" after the railway incident became known, the second most serious in recent history after that of Angrois.
The notice has mobilized hundreds of citizens, who have gone to the 32 fixed donation points in hospitals, to the Valdebernardo Transfusion Center and to the mobile units of Cruz Roja, which maintain different closing hours between 19:00 and 21:00 hours.
The manager of the regional Transfusion Center, Luisa María Barea, has thanked in statements sent to the media the "massive" response of the donors and has likewise requested that they "postpone the donations to the days that are to come".
"So far we have collected a good number of donations, with which we ensure that we can supply the blood that will be needed and we also leave some reserves in a fairly healthy state," she detailed.
In statements to Europa Press next to a donation bus, Adrián Óscar López, from Cruz Roja, has explained that, after the accident became public, the influx has increased "a great deal".
"It has also been a blessing on the other hand," Adrián pointed out, who indicated that although the accident "has stirred more consciences" and people have turned out in force for the donation, there are still "shortages" of donations at other times.
"One has to think that blood is used for many types of treatments and transplants. I understand that it will not be like that every day, but a small boost from time to time would not be bad forever so that there is no shortage of blood anywhere, at least in Spain," he indicated.
In any case, he highlighted the "great calm" at seeing the "behavior of the people". "No matter how much we are going to work today, at least we know that people respond when it is needed. So quite happy and everything the body can give", he indicated.
In the queue to donate at the mobile unit on Paseo de la Castellana waits Marcos, who comes for the first time as a donor. "My wife told me about it, I saw it through Instagram and I live very close here, so I came over to help in whatever way I can", he explained.
He has decided to donate now because he considers that blood will be needed not only on today’s day, but also to maintain reserves intended for those who need it. "It is a disgrace that these things happen so that we can all be a little better", he said.
Alongside him are waiting Lucas and Enrique, two young men who have located donation points after the call from the authorities. "We arrived about 20-25 minutes ago and the queue is moving well. It does not take that long", they indicated, stressing that the wait is worth it because it is "extremely important to help others and the people who need it a lot". After a "tragedy" like Wednesday’s, they agreed, solidarity becomes visible.
The hospitals with donation points have also registered a notable increase in activity compared with a usual day. At Gregorio Marañón, for example, at 15:00 hours 120 donations had been reached, compared with the 15 that are usually registered on a normal day at that same hour, according to data from the center itself.
At 12 de Octubre attendance has also soared, with a queue reaching halfway through the hall of the new hospital and more than 86 donations registered, according to those from the health complex. At Hospital de La Paz the situation has been similar, with a presence of donors much higher than usual.