Irene Oppi is one of the volunteers who continue to keep the world's heart beating. We met with her and this is what she had to say about her experience as a blood donor.
"In 2015, I took one of the best decisions of my life: I became a blood donor. Almost a year after that day and following an e-mail sent me by AVIS about volunteering, I threw myself headlong into what led me to join first the AVIS branch of Cento (Ferrara), the city where I live, and subsequently AVIS Youth Committee.
The simple decision I made to donate blood quickly turned into a life experience. It has made me grow as a person as I would never have expected and has allowed me to meet wonderful people and establish beautiful relationships.
I also had the privilege to represent AVIS at the International Youth Forum in 2018 in Aveiro, Portugal. They are international meetings attended by blood donors from all over the world over several days with a view to training and exchanging experiences and good practices. On that occasion of the 2018 Youth Forum, I came to fully understand the reason why the Italian volunteer system is looked upon as an example of excellence at international level.
I have always made an effort to share my life experience with AVIS so as to convey the joy of being part of a world where every little act becomes a tessera in a wonderful artwork that everyone admires and that every day contributes to saving thousands of lives."
Keep the world beating. Let's continue to give blood. #WBDD21 #keeptheworldbeating