A group of Friends of research ("Amics de la recerca") of Vall d'Hebron, made up of 19 people, was able to enjoy the visit to the Blood and Tissue Bank on 4 July.It was the first time that the building opened its doors for this group and it became an opportunity to show the facilities and explain the process to which the blood and tissues are subjected: from the moment it is extracted from the donor in its facilities until the time the blood is ready to be supplied to the Hospital.The visit began with the presentation of all the lines of activity that comprises this institution: the banks of blood, tissue, maternal milk and umbilical cord, the diagnostic laboratory, the study of congenital coagulopathies, and advanced therapies.Later they were divided into three groups to travel through the different rooms. Thus, they could learn about the apheresis room, the area where the blood is processed, stored in the freezers and, finally, the donation room.During the visit, they were accompanied by personnel from the Blood and Tissue Bank (BTS): Gal.la Cortel, Head of Promotion, Mònica Amérigo, Promotion technician, Dr. Rafael Parra López, director of BST Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Dr. Jesús Fernández Sojo, haematologist and in charge of the Donations Area and Luis Dominguez, in charge of the Nursing Unit.Taking advantage of the visit, some Friends of research in Vall d'Hebron wanted to drop their grain of sand and gave blood.This joint initiative between the Blood and Tissue Bank and the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute Foundation (VHIR) has been very well received, which is expected to do more visits.Summer campaign 'Blood friends, forever friends'Since July 17, the Blood and Tissue Bank has begun the summer campaign 'Blood friends, forever friends', with the aim of encouraging everyone to donate blood to a group to guarantee the reserves, which always go down during the holidays. The campaign wants to get 35,000 blood donations by September 1.Blood and Tissue BankThe Blood and Tissue Bank is the public company of the Department of Health of the Generalitat de Catalunya whose mission is to guarantee the supply and good use of blood and tissues in Catalonia, being the centre of reference in diagnostic immunology and in the development of advanced therapies. The Blood and Tissue Bank is made up of a team of 600 professionals spread throughout Catalonia.The BST has a central headquarters in Barcelona and 12 territorial centres, among them the Vall d'Hebron Blood and Tissue Bank. This centre is divided into 3 major services: Donation, Transfusion and Therapeutic Apheresis.