175 Blood Donors Receive Luxembourg Medal of Merit

The Luxembourg Red Cross has reported that on Saturday 31 January 2026, 175 blood donors gathered in Diekirch for a ceremony held in their honour, in the presence of Grand Duchess Stéphanie.

The ceremony, also attended by Luxembourg Minister of Health Martine Deprez, the Mayor of Diekirch Charel Weiler and Dr Sonja Hoffmann, member of the Board of Directors of the Luxembourg Red Cross, saw the donors awarded the Medal of Merit in recognition of their 20, 40 or 80 donations of blood, platelets or plasma made in Luxembourg over the course of their lives.

The Luxembourg Red Cross noted the recipients were honoured for their loyalty and commitment, sometimes spanning several decades and said: “Once again this year, the commitment of donors has ensured sufficient stock levels to protect the entire population […] Every day in Luxembourg, lives are saved thanks to the generosity of blood donors.”

Dr Sonja Hoffmann remarked: “You do not know those you help, but they owe you everything. You are the first links in a chain of life – an invisible but essential chain – where your donation, however simple, can change a destiny. Thank you for your time, your loyalty. Thank you for the lives you save without ever seeing them.”

She added: “The challenges remain significant. The demand for blood is constant, and the mobilisation must be just as constant. Every donation counts.”

The Luxembourg Red Cross said its mission is to “improve the living conditions of vulnerable people” and for the Blood Transfusion Centre to ensure self-sufficiency in blood products. The association highlighted that the blood collected is distributed to patients who need it most, without distinction of nationality, ethnic origin, or social status.

Credit: Luxembourg Red Cross

Caption: (L-R) nc; Michel Simonis, Secretary General Luxembourg Red Cross; Grand Duchess Stéphanie