In the large rooms on the second floor of Paris City Hall, adorned with gilding which molds the high ceilings and walls, an unusual ballet began this Thursday, November 28. The bodies are placed on the 32 beds arranged on the shiny parquet floor, the needles are stuck in the veins, the blood bags are filled.
“I thought it would hurt more”notes Jules, 18, pressing on his bandage. The physical preparation student came to the collection after classes with five classmates. How did he find out about the event? “On social networks, I shared the post on the class group”confides the first-time donor.
The collection is special in that it is supported by two French influencers, Farès Bichard and Arkunir (the latter has one million subscribers on X, formerly Twitter). For four days, 150 caregivers and volunteers from the French Blood Establishment (EFS) take turns welcoming more than 4,000 donors in order to break the record for the largest donation drive in Europe. An initiative which closes the “Donation Marathon”, an event organized since the beginning of January by the EFS with the support of sports federations, which brought together 3,206 donors.
30% of donors are under 30 years old
The shiny chandeliers of the town hall see a hundred donors parade every hour. “Never seen before” for the organizers. Booking slots are gone in the blink of an eye; there were only a hundred left in the morning. Since the announcement of the event, the EFS has recorded a 20% increase in appointment bookings throughout France.
Trampling from room to room, Farès Bichard savors. This 24-year-old content creator, with short frizzy hair and a black turtleneck, also works as a nurse in the emergency room in Metz (Moselle). For him, “donating blood is a simple act that requires no money or a lot of time”.
“Breaking a record is good. But the goal is to save as many people as possible.”continues this influencer followed by 150,000 people on the video platform Twitch. He reminds us that one donation saves three lives.
Last year, blood reserves remained at sufficient levels. 2,678,054 donations were made according to the EFS. But donor renewal is a crucial issue. “We are targeting a wider audience by partnering with Internet influencers because they know how to reach young peopleexplains Stéphane Noël, director of the Île-de-France branch. We need them, because the sooner they give, the longer they will give. » In 2023, only 30% of French donors were under 30 years old.
“An enormous capacity to mobilize”
In the queue, the youthful faces contrast with the profiles of the regulars. “It’s striking”confirms the director. Lying on her stretcher while waiting for her IV, Sylvie had the same thought. She donates blood three times a year, although the injection is not “a part of pleasure”. “There are many more young people than usual, faces are changingsays the 65-year-old retiree, brown fleece and rolled up sleeves. I am happy to see that they are mobilizing to donate blood. »
Meeting at snack time, in an adjoining room overlooking the Seine, Jean-Gabriel, 24, is categorical: “I’ll do it again, without batting an eyelid. » Like Goulven, 20, seated to his right, the school assistant is one of the first-time donors. The two young people – cans of coke in hand for one, applesauce for the other – are subscribed to Arkunir. It was on X that they learned about the collection. After a short time of reflection, they agree: “In France, Internet influencers have an enormous capacity to mobilize people. »
At 6:30 p.m., the counter passed the 800 donor mark. The EFS is on target to beat the record. To punctuate the event, Arkunir and Farès Bichard are organizing a live on Twitch on Saturday November 30 from 2 p.m.: donors, recipients and caregivers will follow one another to raise awareness of the cause. In the morning, both also planned to donate blood. If Farès Bichard had done it as soon as he had the chance – “at 18 years and 1 month” – for Arkunir, it will be the first time.