Blood collection centres report a rising trend in social gatherings being arranged around donating blood.
For Christchurch mates Ash, Brendon, Steve and Simon, donating blood has become about more than helping patients – it's also where they found friendship.
The quartet, collectively giving close to 1200 donations and counting, first met after noticing they were seeing the same faces at the Christchurch Donor Centre every fortnight.
What started as casual conversations in the donor chairs – and over coffee and biscuits after donating – soon grew into a genuine friendship, with the group now staying in touch through a WhatsApp chat they have dubbed the "Blood Brothers".
NZ Blood Service chief executive Sam Cliffe said said stories like this reflected how donor centres were becoming unexpected community hubs, where people connected through a shared sense of purpose.
As the Blood Service worked to recruit more whole blood and plasma donors, it was also seeing a shift in how people engaged with donation – with many New Zealanders choosing to donate alongside friends, family members and colleagues.
"Blood donation has always been about saving lives," Cliffe said, "but, for a lot of our donors, it’s also become a way to connect with others and spend time with people they care about.
"People come in to have a catch-up with their friends on the donor beds, a date night with their significant other, or as a regular team-building activity with their workmates," Cliffe said.
“At a time when so much of life happens online, people are looking for more authentic, face-to-face experiences. Blood donation offers a unique combination of purpose and connection.
"Whether it's bringing a friend along for their first donation, joining a workplace group or catching up with familiar faces after an appointment, donor centres can become genuinely social spaces."
According to research commissioned by the Blood Service between October 2025 and March 2026, 88% of Kiwis believed donating blood and plasma was good for society, while 76% thought it was an easy thing to do.
Yet currently, only around 4% of eligible New Zealanders donated blood or plasma.
Hearteningly, the Blood Service reported record growth in plasma donation. “More than 25,000 New Zealanders donated plasma in the past year – the highest number we’ve ever recorded,” Cliffe said.
“While this increase is encouraging to see and reflects growing awareness of the importance of plasma donation, the reality is that we still need more donors.”
Plasma is used to produce up to 11 lifesaving medicines that help treat around 50 conditions, including cancer, kidney disease, blood clotting disorders and liver failure.
Demand for these medicines is projected to increase by more than 25% over the next three years.
Cliffe said National Blood Donor Week is an opportunity to both thank existing donors and encourage others to consider becoming part of the donor community.
“We know many people are interested in donating but haven’t yet taken the next step. For many, the reassurance of not going alone for the first time can help turn that intention into action."
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