Singapore – when Charmaine Tan turned around. 16she aspired to follow in her parents’ footsteps and become a regular blood donor.

She also wanted to spread the word and started volunteering. Singapore Red Cross Society Youth Donor Recruitment Activities YouthInspire.

now 18 years old, have donated blood 3 times, soon to be a college student She hopes to inspire her peers to do the same.

Her role is important, as new figures show the proportion of blood donors who are young. From 16 to 25 years old – Continued downward trend.

In 2025, 9,600+ youth donorsmake up for 12 percent According to the donor pool The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) figures were published in January 2026. This is down from In 2015, it was 28%.

In 2025, blood donors accounted for 1.3% of Singapore’s population. Overall, the total number of blood donors is grew up almost 9% – from 71,277 in 2015 to 77,567 in 2025.

At the same time, The total amount of blood donations has almost increased 12%, from 122,048 units to 136,172 units.

The demographic composition of the donor population reflects Singapore’s aging trend; said HSA.

The median age of donors is higher than before 34 years in 2015, 40 years in 2025. And while it is the largest group of donors, In 2015, it was the 21-30 age group; in 2025, the 31-40 age group will be the largest.

One in four Singaporeans is expected to be aged 65 or older by 2030, up from one in 10 in 2010.

HSA said changing demographics are intensifying challenges for national blood programs. In 2026, the company will celebrate its 80th anniversary.

The donor pool is likely to shrink due to a decline in the younger donor population and an increase in the number of older people whose health is too poor to donate.

According to a study conducted by HSA in 2023, patients aged over 60 account for about 60% of Singapore’s blood consumption.

HSA stated: “Blood demand will increase as more elderly people require blood transfusions as part of their medical care.

“This highlights the importance of our youth outreach efforts to develop the next generation of donors and ensure long-term blood security.”

The paper said the decline in participation among young people may reflect waning interest in donating blood. The Singapore Red Cross Society oversees blood donor recruitment here.

“Blood donation is not yet an integrated lifestyle option for many people,” the report added.

Uundergraduate student Ethan Xia, 23 years old; Who donated blood? Five timeMr. S also holds a similar view. “Maybe people don’t think I’m cool” “They don’t come up in many conversations” he said.

Another reason could be fear of needles and the misconception that donating blood is painful, Charmaine said.

To attract more youth donors, the Singapore Red Cross Society has been holding events that appeal to youth interests, such as concerts, collectibles and cultural events.

In partnership with toy company Popmart, October 2 and November 7, 2025 The Singapore Red Cross said it attracted more new youth donors compared to the same period in 2024.

in June 2024launched the YouthInspire program to organize foundational efforts to facilitate peer-to-peer donor recruitment. With the help of young volunteers like Charmaine.

in 2025Charmaine helped organize the Gracie Abrams blood drive, which was held in collaboration with singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams’ fan club before her concert in Singapore.

In cooperation with Red Cross Youth, youth inspire Volunteers also helped with the planning. That year, a Halloween-themed blood drive was held.

Both events are fascinating. More than 200 participants in total, and almost 20 percent He said they had come forward to donate blood. Singapore Red Cross Society.

“The main purpose of these themed events is to allow people to have fun and do something meaningful,” said Charmaine.

Beyond recruitment, he said it’s equally important to encourage young donors to come back regularly. Associate Professor Lina Lim, Faculty of Medicine, NUS Yong Loo Lin;

He suggested measures such as repeated calls for donations and more convenient scheduling of donations.

“Furthermore, investigating why some young donors do not continue to donate after their initial experience may help identify targeted interventions to support long-term participation,” Professor Lim added.

of The Singapore Red Cross said it recognized that “building a habit of giving requires building consistent relationships over time.”

“While the current blood supply remains sufficient to meet patient needs, building a sustainable donor base for Singapore’s future remains a key priority and requires continued innovation in recruitment and retention approaches.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our strategy accordingly,” it added.