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As I've posted elsewhere on SB, I recently started a topical collection related to blood and organ donation. I've been having loads of fun, and the wonderful thing about topical collecting is that it can include all sorts of things, like commercial covers, postal stationery, slogan and meter cancels, stamps, and on and on. I wanted to share some of my finds, so here goes...feel free to post any related items that you may have (philcovex and mozzerb posted some nice items on another thread: http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=34038; I may re-post those here if no one minds ).

So, first things first:

Blood transfusion got its start in 1900 when Dr. Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian biologist and physician, discovered the major ABO blood groups. (Landsteiner described A, B, and O; Alfred von Decastello and Adriano Sturli discovered the fourth type, AB, in 1902.) Based on these findings, in 1907 the first successful blood transfusion was performed by Reuben Ottenberg at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Landsteiner is widely regarded as the "Father of Transfusion Medicine", and in 1930 he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in recognition of his achievements.



Group A and O are the most common, and AB the least common, but the distribution of the blood groups varies across the world. People naturally form antibodies against the blood group antigens they do NOT have. Persons with AB blood type ("universal recipients") can accept blood transfusions of any type because they do not form antibodies against either Group A or B, whereas type O blood ("universal donors") can be transfused to persons of any blood type because there are no A or B antigens on the blood cells. OK, this is getting too complicated but you can find all kinds of info on the internet if you are interested.

Here are some stamps issued by various countries depicting the ABO blood groups:

Austria (of course)


Albania


Papua New Guinea (this is 1 stamp in a set of 4 - more on those later!)

The size of the blood drops is (sort of) proportional to the frequency of the blood groups.

Mexico


OK, that's a start. I'll be posting more when time allows...

An email at work today made me realize that my timing is fortuitous - April 22-28 marks National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week in Canada. April is Donate Life Month in the United States as well, so if you are in North America, please take some time to reflect on organ donation & the value of registering as a donor. DonateLife Week is Australia's national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation - that was Feb 19-26 this year.

One donor can save up to 8 lives and benefit more than 50 people.

So this week I'm going to take a slight detour from blood donation to post some items related to organ and tissue donation.

First, a set of stamps issued by Grenada in 1968 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the World Health Organization, showing organ transplantation operations:

Austria issued a stamp in 1990 to commemorate the 27th Congress of the European Dialysis and Transplantation Society:



Used solo on a commercial cover to Belgium:



I like this multi-franked cover, sent registered to Pakistan:

Feel free ...

On December 3 1967, the first human-to-human heart transplant was performed.

South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard, who prepared for this day by performing a number of experimental heart transplants involving dogs, led a 30-member surgical team in implanting the heart of a young woman into 53-year-old Louis Washkansky, a Cape Town grocer suffering from diabetes and incurable heart disease.

Washkansky received the heart of Denise Darvall, a 25-year-old bank clerk who was left brain-dead following an automobile accident the day before. She was removed from life support, and her father gave permission for her heart to be given to Washkansky.

The transplant, performed at Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital, was a success. Washkansky's body did not reject the heart, due to the immunosuppressive drugs he received. But those drugs also weakened his immune system, and he contracted double pneumonia, which killed him 18 days after the transplant. Although the first patient with the heart of another human being survived for only a little more than two weeks, Barnard had passed a milestone in a new field of life-extending surgery.

Barnard became an international superstar overnight and was celebrated around the world for his daring accomplishment. He continued to perform heart transplants. The second transplant operation was conducted on 2 January 1968, and the patient, Philip Blaiberg, survived for 19 months. American Charles Washington, who received a heart transplant in 1983, is believed to be the longest-living heart transplant recipient.

On July 7, 1969, South Africa issued a set of 2 stamps to commemorate Dr. Barnard and the first successful heart transplant, coinciding with the opening of the 47th South African Medical Congress, Pretoria.

Here is a cover sent from Uvongo Beach to Chelmsford, England, with postage due:






A registered cover from East End, Durban to the town of Darlington in England:




memphre found this nice cover for me, sent from Johannesburg to Gurnee, Illinois:

Finally, I'll end today with a set of stamps issued by South Africa in 1991 to commemorate great achievements, including the world's first heart transplant, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the RSA.

In 1978 Greece issued this pair of stamps to commemorate advancements in organ transplantation:



ΜΕΤΑΜΟΣΧΕΥΣΕΙΣ = "TRANSPLANTATION"

Note the leafy branch grafted onto a tree, shown on the 4d stamp.

The 10d stamp depicts the Miracle of Saints Cosmas and Damian. Saints Cosmas and Damian (died ca. 287) were twin brothers, physicians, and early Christian martyrs born in Cilicia, part of today's Turkey. They accepted no payment for their services and thus were named "Ανάργυροι" (Anargyros, "Unmercenary"). Their most famous miraculous exploit was the grafting of a leg from a recently deceased Ethiopian to replace a patient's gangrenous leg, and was the subject of many paintings and illuminations.

France has issued a multitude of slogan cancels promoting both blood and organ donation. Here are some examples of the latter:



"ORGAN DONATION/TODAY/THINKING OF TOMORROW"





"ORGAN DONATION/A YES FOR LIFE"





"ORGAN DONATION = LIVES SAVED"

"KIDNEY DONATED/LIFE SAVED"





"YES TO ORGAN DONATION/IS A GIFT FOR LIFE"





"GIFT OF LIFE/ORGAN DONATION"

The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye. Corneal transplants are the most frequently performed organ transplant operation, and can often be done as day surgery. People with conditions that affect other parts of the eye, such as cataracts, can still donate corneas.

Eye banks retrieve and store corneas, as well as sclera (the white of the eye). The first eye bank, the Eye Bank for Sight Restoration, was founded in 1944 by Dr. Richard Townley Paton in New York City, USA. Worldwide, eye banks make possible more than 52,000 sight-restoring corneal transplants annually.




Imagine all the things you would miss in your life without sight...then think how much of a difference this simple gift could make in someone's life!


Thailand issued this stamp promoting eye donation in 1979 for the Red Cross Fair. They reissued it with surcharge in 1985. The surtax went to the Thai Red Cross.

Here is a registered cover sent from Bangledesh to Pakistan, franked with a stamp promoting eye donation:





Sadly, it looks like someone dropped it water at some point. The arrival stamp reads "EXPERIMENTAL P.O. KP"



The stamp is part of a set of 2 issued September 19, 1991 for the Sandhani Medical Students Association 14th anniversary.

To wrap up National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week in Canada, here is a cover sent "BOOK POST" from India to Switzerland on Remembrance Day in 1987.





The stamp is part of a set of 2 issued October 15, 1987 for World White Cane Day.

Now back to posting some items related to blood donation. Stamps promoting blood donation have been issued by many countries, and some countries have issued several, for example Tunisia and Algeria. Canada has never issued a stamp, but there are many examples of slogan cancels that promote blood donation.

philcovex posted these on this thread:


Both of philcovex'sexamples are bilingual, with Canada's 2 official languages (English and French).

I recently did something I haven't done in ages: go to a local stamp show! I enjoyed browsing through boxes of Canadian postal history and came up with these covers with English-only slogans:





Here is another bilingual slogan:




It's interesting that the English-only slogan was still in use AFTER the bilingual slogan.

I like this one: a commercial cover with 4c centennial coil usage, a bilingual blood donation slogan, the arrival cancel with Canada's centennial logo, and a 1c tax due stamp.

The first country to issue a stamp on the topic of blood donation was Hungary, in 1942. The surtax from these semi-postal stamps went to aid the Hungarian Red Cross:


VERADAS means "blood donation"

The next stamps were not issued until 1951, by Finland. The surtax on this set of 3 was for the Finnish Red Cross. They show a hospital entrance in Helsinki, a person giving blood, and a blood donor's medal.

VERIPALVELU and BLODTJÄNST mean "BLOOD SERVICE" in Finnish and Swedish, the 2 national languages of Finland.

On August 24, 1953, the Netherlands issued this set of 5 semi-postals for the Red Cross:



The 10+5c stamp shows a nurse giving a blood transfusion:

In October 1953, Yugoslavia issued a Postal Tax stamp showing a child receiving a blood transfusion. Postal Tax stamps were obligatory surtax stamps that were required during a certain period, usually a week-long period between late September and early November. The additional "tax" was used to generate funds for charitable organizations such as the Red Cross or Child Welfare Programs. Not only did Yugoslavia issue the Postal Tax stamps, they also issued Postal Tax Due stamps, for mail that was posted during the obligatory week which did not have the surtax stamps already attached. The Postal Tax Due issues can be distinguished by the addition of the word "Porto".

НЕДЕЉА ЦРВЕНОГ КРСТА means "RED CROSS WEEK"


This set was also issued with a STT VUJNA overprint for Trieste, with the colours switched around:


I have some examples of these stamps used on cover or card, which I'll post later.

On January 14, 1956, Belgium issued this stamp for the Blood donor service of the Belgian Red Cross. It depicts a pelican giving blood to its young, and urges "Be a blood donor" in French (SOYEZ DONNEUR DE SANG) and Dutch (WORD BLOEDGEVER).



More on pelican imagery in blood donation later...

In July 1956, Indonesia issued this set of 6 semi-postal stamps, with the surtax going to the Indonesian Red Cross:



PEMINDAHAN DARAH means BLOOD TRANSFUSION

In August 1957, the Netherlands issued this set of 5 semi-postal stamps to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Netherlands Red Cross.



The low value of the set shows a white pelican feeding her young:


(More to come on pelicans...this is a recurring image)

Turkey also issued a set of 3 stamps in 1957 promoting blood donation, but I haven't managed to get my hands on it yet...

Argentina issued this stamp on December 20, 1958:


It shows a child receiving blood. The surtax went to the Anti-Leukemia Foundation (LUCHA CONTRA LA LEUCEMIA means "FIGHT LEUKEMIA").

Last post for tonight. On Octobet 17, 1959 there were 2 stamp issues related to blood donation.

This single issue from France depicting the outstretched arms of many blood donors (LES DONNEURS DE SANG)...



...and a set of 3 from Togo, with the surtax going to the Red Cross:


The high value shows a patient receiving a blood transfusion:



There were perf and imperf minisheets for these stamps. Here's the imperf for the 50+10F value:



Belgium also issued a set in 1959, it's coming in the mail...

Guess what came in the mail today...

On June 10, 1959, Belgium issued this set of 6 semi-postal stamps to commemorate the centenary of the International Red Cross idea. The 3 low values depict the allegory of blood transfusion.







The high value shows Jean Henri Dunant, a Swiss businessman and social activist. During a business trip in 1859, he witnessed the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in modern day Italy. He recorded his memories and experiences in the book A Memory of Solferino, which inspired the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863. The 1864 Geneva Convention was based on Dunant's ideas. In 1901 he received the first Nobel Peace Prize together with Frédéric Passy, a French economist.

This card is a bit of mystery (to me, anyway ):



It seems to be posted from the Temporary Post Office of the Belgian Red Cross (maybe a philatelic counter set up for the centenary?). Underneath "Bureau de Poste Temporaire" is written "2e Jour / 14.6.59", and the postmark is 14.6.1959 Brussels. However, June 14th (which was a Sunday!) was actually the 5th day of issue, unless the date is referring to something else. "Imprimé" means "printed matter", but the back of the card is blank.

I nearly missed this today (it's already May 9 in most places ):

May 8 is World Thalassemia Day. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that is common in the Mediterranean, South Asia, and Africa. People with thalassemia minor are carriers and have mild anemia that does not require treatment and does not decrease lifespan. People with thalassemia major have severe anemia, require frequent blood transfusions and suffer many complications. In developed countries, genetic counseling and prenatal screening have gone a long way to reduce the number of children born with thalassemia major, but in the developing world, it is a serious and growing problem that puts a strain on blood banks and the health system in general.

To raise awareness of this disease and its prevention, Pakistan issued a stamp on May 8, 2012:

"THALASSEMIA IS PREVENTABLE, IT IS EASY"


The stamp depicts a child surrounded by outstretched arms receiving blood transfusions.

"Thalassemia" derives from the Greek thalassa ("sea") and -emia ("blood"), reflecting its common occurrence in people of Mediterranean descent.

Here are covers franked with some of the blood donation stamps I've posted so far.

First, some commercial covers from Belgium:

A cover sent to the Netherlands...


...a cover sent to Switzerland (birds flying upside down! )...


...and finally, an international cover sent to Belgian Congo:

A nice commercial cover sent to UN Radio in New York from Helsinki (I like the simplicity of the address)...




...and a first flight cover Helsinki to Tokyo, April 25, 1951:




The cover arrived in Tokyo April 28 and returned (presumably by slow boat) to Pihlava June 21. Pihlava is a small town in Finland with population between 5000 and 10,000 - quite a difference from Tokyo!

"Japanin lento" means "Japanese airline", but Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) was not established until August 1, 1951.

A cover from France to Switzerland franked with a nice block of 4 blood donor stamps:

Lastly for tonight, 2 covers from the Netherlands.

A cover for the London-Christchurch Air Race in 1953, franked with the semi-postal set issued in August:




Left Amsterdam October 3, arrival cancel Christchurch October 11 with slogan "BUY HEALTH STAMPS FOR HEALTH CAMPS", and arrived back at Amsterdam Central Station October 21.

The London Christchurch Air Race was the Last Great Air Race: 12,300 miles (19,800 km) long. The race was won by Flight Lieutenant Roland (Monty) Burton flying an English Electric Canberra, navigated by Flight Lieutenant Don Gannon. The plane touched down at Christchurch Airport 41 minutes ahead of its closest rival — after 23hr 51min in the air including 83 minutes on the ground. The commercial winner of the race was a Vickers Viscount.

This picture shows KLM's race entry, the Douglas DC6A Liftmaster, on arrival in Christchurch - the cabin had just 55 seats and was captained by Han Kooper, who made it to New Zealand in 49 hours and 57 minutes, with seven stops on the way.

Finally, another first flight cover, KLM Amsterdam to Houston, September 3, 1957, franked with the semi-postal set issued in August.





Arrival cancel Houston September 4. The cover is stamped "Return to Sender", but there is no return arrival cancel.

Here's a slogan cover from Luxembourg to go with the French covers I posted above:



"ORGAN DONOR? YES!" ("JO" means "YES" in the Luxembourgish language)

Before I post more pictures, I just wanted to share some statistics that may be of interest. I have searched my pdf copies of Scott (2009 edition) for stamps relating to blood donation and blood transfusion. These may be issues directly promoting blood donation, or may be only 1 stamp in a set commemorating or promoting something more general. The latter often happens for issues related to the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, or other medical or health topics. Or the stamp(s) may depict some aspect or person connected to the process of blood banking.

I also used this paper as a reference, published in the journal "Transfusion" in 2010 (can you believe that stamp collecting has made it into the medical literature?? ):



I'm sure my list isn't complete, and I occasionally come across an issue that belongs in my list that is not obvious from the description in Scott. For example, this week I saw a set of 4 stamps from Fiji issued in 1989 for the 125th anniversary of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Organizations. The 3rd value in the set shows a person donating blood, but the description in Scott is simply "Medicine". Other than reading Scott cover to cover, the only way I will find these is by chance (and I wouldn't have found this one in Scott anyway, as only the 1st stamp in the set is pictured). However, I think my list probably has most of the pertinent issues.

I'm also keeping an eye out for new issues - for example, last week Pakistan issued a stamp for World Thalassemia Day (posted above) and Switzerland issued a stamp commemorating blood donors - more on that later.

In total I've found 159 issues - a nice number for a thematic collection: not too large, not too small.

I found it interesting that of the countries that have issued stamps on this topic, a small number have multiple issues, while most have only 1 or 2. Some countries, including Canada and Australia, have never issued a stamp on this topic (although Australia has a recent issue promoting organ donation). Who do you think leads the pack?

The stats are below (I've counted surcharged stamps for a territory or colony together with the "parent" country), and include regular postage stamps and postal tax or tax due stamps:

7 Belgium
7 Tunisia
5 Yugoslavia
4 Algeria
4 France
4 Netherlands
3 Argentina
3 Croatia
3 Finland
3 German Democratic Republic
3 Indonesia
3 Kenya
3 Romania
3 Slovenia
3 Surinam
2 Afghanistan
2 Albania
2 Austria
2 Bangladesh
2 Bosnia & Herzegovina
2 Brazil
2 Burkina Faso
2 Egypt
2 Guyana
2 Hungary
2 Japan
2 Luxembourg
2 Macao
2 Monaco
2 Morocco
2 Oman
2 Pakistan
2 Papua New Guinea
2 Spain
2 St. Vincent
2 Switzerland
2 Thailand
2 Togo
2 Uruguay
1 Benin
1 Bolivia
1 Bulgaria
1 Burundi
1 Chile
1 China (Taiwan)
1 Congo
1 Costa Rica
1 Cyprus
1 Denmark
1 El Salvador
1 Ethiopia
1 Fiji
1 French Polynesia
1 Gabon
1 Gambia
1 Germany
1 Ghana
1 Great Britain
1 Honduras
1 Hong Kong
1 India
1 Iran
1 Israel
1 Italy
1 Jordan
1 Korea
1 Kuwait
1 Laos
1 Lebanon
1 Liberia
1 Malta (Sovereign Military Order)
1 Mexico
1 Mongolia
1 Nicaragua
1 Nigeria
1 Russia
1 Samoa
1 San Marino
1 Saudi Arabia
1 Solomon Islands
1 South Africa
1 Sri Lanka
1 St. Pierre & Miquelon
1 St. Thomas
1 Transkei
1 Turkey
1 Turkish Cyprus
1 Uganda
1 United Arab Emirates
1 United States
1 Vanuatu
1 Venezuela

My collection still has gaps, but I'm going to continue posting stamps and related items more or less chronologically, with the occasional detour, and "back fill" gaps as I get them.

While not kosher to your thematic collection, I think that this is the closest Australia has ever come:

[b]

Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

Canada has had a couple of Red Cross issues as well. I decided early on that I would not be collecting "general" Red Cross issues - there are far too many of them!!

Timing is everything ... I got this in the mail today from Raz who sent me a few Australia Red Cross FDCs:



This one is uncacheted with a 9JE54 cancel, the first day of issue. The sender forgot to leave space for the stamps when addressing the envelope...

Thanks Ron!

This also came in the mail today. An FDC from Indonesia franked with the 1956 Blood Donation set and sent registered to Germany:





The purple stamp on the back reads "PEMBAYARAN ALAT2 LUAR NEGERI / (DEVIEZEN)" which means "FOREIGN EXCHANGE" in Indonesian and Dutch.

On June 30, 1960, Belgium issued this set of 8 stamps to celebrate the achievement of independence by Belgian Congo, under the name "Republic of Congo". As the French colony of Middle Congo also chose the name "Republic of Congo" upon achieving its independence, the two countries were more commonly known as "Congo-Léopoldville" and "Congo-Brazzaville", after their capital cities.





The 40c stamp shows a patient receiving a blood transfusion:

Yugoslavia has issued many Postal Tax and Postal Tax Due stamps. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Postal Tax stamps were obligatory surtax stamps that were required on mail during a certain period, and the additional "tax" was used to generate funds for charitable organizations such as the Red Cross. Postal Tax Due stamps, which can be distinguished by the addition of the word "Porto", were used for mail that was posted during the obligatory week that did not have the surtax stamps already attached.

I've already posted the set of stamps issued on October 25, 1953, benefiting the Red Cross and showing a child receiving a blood transfusion:


The Postal Tax stamp was mandatory on mail from October 25 to November 1, 1953.


On May 7, 1961, Yugoslavia issued these stamps, also benefiting the Red Cross. "NEDEJLA CRVENOG KRSTA" means "RED CROSS WEEK". The stamps show 2 arms crossed around the symbol of voluntary blood donors.


The Postal Tax stamp was mandatory on mail May 7-13, 1961.

These stamps were also issued imperf:

Here are some examples of usage of the Postal Tax stamps.

A pre-stamped card mailed from Varaždin during Red Cross Week with appropriate use of the mandatory Postal Tax stamp, arriving the same day in Zagreb 50 miles away.





A cover mailed from Subotica, with the Postal Tax stamp added to the regular postage.

Here is a pre-stamped postcard that was mailed during Red Cross Week but the Postal Tax stamp was not used by the sender in Belgrade. The Postal Tax Due stamp was added and cancelled in Skopje upon arrival.

I only have 1 example of usage of the 1961 issue, a registered cover mailed from a lawyer's office in Belgrade to the District Court Investigating Judge:

Now a quick flash-forward to 2012...Switzerland issued this stamp on May 9 to celebrate blood donation:



It is multi-lingual: "BLUTSPENDE", "DON DU SANG", and "DONAZIONE DI SANGUE" = "BLOOD DONATION" in German, French and Italian, the 3 official languages of Switzerland.

Here is the FDC for this issue:



"SPENDE BLUT - RETTE LEBEN" = "DONATE BLOOD - SAVE LIFE" (German)
"MA VIE TON SANG" = "MY LIFE YOUR BLOOD" (French)
"DONARE LA VITA" = "GIVE LIFE" (Italian)

Also an "unofficial" FDC:


Thanks Swiss_Martin for these great additions to my collection!

Hello

It was my pleasure, Jean.

Thank you - regards,

Martin

Jean,

I came across this stamp from Hungary that appears to be in the overall theme of your collecting interest. I don't have it on cover, but I'm happy to send it to you if you wish.

_________________
"Making money is a hobby that will complement any other hobbies you have, beautifully." - Scott Alexander
I collect Souvenir Sheets postally used on cover, WW used stamps up to 1957 except everything of Brasil and Argentina.

Hi Timbres,

This stamp was issued on the occasion of the Joint Meeting of the 19th Congress of the International Society of Hematology and the 17th Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion in Budapest, August 1982. I like it because it shows what actual red blood cells look like - they have a "biconcave" shape that allows them to be very flexible and pass through the smallest blood vessels of the circulation easily.

I have this stamp MNH, but would love to get it on commercial cover. No need to pay the postage to send this used copy by itself, but maybe save it for an exchange later?

Thanks!

Jean

Two more additions to my collection last week. First, a commercial cover from the Netherlands, sent registered in January 1958 to Sreóko Depeder, the Editor-in-Chief of Farmaceutski Glasnik (note the typo in the address on the envelope), a Croatian journal of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics. The letter is franked with the semi-postal set issued on August 19, 1957.



There are 3 different transit/arrival cancels on the back:


I can only speculate that the sender was submitting a paper for publication, and wanted to get the Editor's attention! (or else they were both stamp collectors ).

The second item is another FDC for Indonesia's 1956 Blood Donation issue, sent registered to the Indonesian U.N. Delegation in New York. The additional franking is on the back of the cover, with 3 different transit/arrival cancels.





Grand Central Station is actually closer to the United Nations building than the Lenox Hill Station.

Jean,

Good news...if you still need it, I've sourced the $5 Argentina blood stamp on cover. Don't have it in hand yet but will advise when I do. Timbres

_________________
"Making money is a hobby that will complement any other hobbies you have, beautifully." - Scott Alexander
I collect Souvenir Sheets postally used on cover, WW used stamps up to 1957 except everything of Brasil and Argentina.

Thanks Tim, I'll send you an email.
Jean

Time for some more stamps...

In 1962 Monaco issued this stamp on the occasion of the Third International Blood Donors' Congress, held November 15-18 in Monaco: