Donating blood and plasma is a civic act, a civic duty. The French give, but too little. From 1945 to the 1970s, a panorama around this practice, between vox pops and first experience in images.
Steps have been taken to reorganize the blood transfusion centres, but the staff concerned are not aware of their future and are demonstrating. Interview with Chantal LEFORESTIER, from the SUD.CRT.
Blood collection organized in Marseille, at the Palais de la Bourse, by the association of voluntary blood donors. The camera follows a man who came to donate his blood and then took a snack with other donors.
At the Centre National de Transfusion in Paris, interviews with donors explain the reasons why they gave blood. One explains that he gave for the first time in his workplace, another for his sick friend.
In Paris, in front of the truck of the National Center of Blood Transfusion, passers-by are interviewed about what they think about the blood donation. A gentleman believes that "this is a gesture of solidarity that all French people should know". A young woman points out: "the blacks, the whites, the yellows, we all have the same blood, it is red". An old lady confessed to giving 55 times her blood and received a medal.
The 72 inhabitants of the village of Fargues sur Ourbise, in the Lot et Garonne, are champions of France blood donation. One in five citizens give blood five times a year. One of them tells how they arrived at this feat, thanks to the motivation of the village factor.