As a continuation of the 2024-2025 academic year initiative "Blood is the Red Gold" and in support of the regular voluntary donation program "5 for 1," the Faculty of Mass Communication at Ain Shams University hosted a seminar under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of the University, and Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, in collaboration with the Community Service and Environmental Development Sector at the Faculty of Medicine, led by Prof. Hala Suweed, Vice Dean. The seminar aimed to raise awareness of the "5 for 1" regular voluntary donation program.

Prof. Heba Shaheen, Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication, opened the seminar by highlighting the importance of blood donation, describing it as "the red gold" that promotes the values of social solidarity and helping others. She also called for increased efforts to launch awareness campaigns that spotlight donors' experiences, emphasizing that blood donation is a humanitarian act and a community service that deserves support.

She praised the vital role played by Ain Shams University Hospitals—Demerdash, the Specialized Hospital, and Obour Specialized Hospital—in providing excellent medical services to the university community and expressed hopes for supporting these hospitals through blood donations.

The seminar featured a presentation by Dr. Dalia Diaa El-Din Salem, coordinator of the "5 for 1" program, with the participation of a complete medical team consisting of doctors, nurses, and technicians from the main blood bank at Ain Shams University Hospitals.

Dr. Dalia explained that the "5 for 1" program aims to assign five donors for each patient to provide safe blood for children and adults, especially for cancer patients, bone marrow transplant recipients, and those suffering from anemia and kidney failure.

The seminar addressed misconceptions about blood donation and clarified the tests performed before donation to ensure the donor’s safety, as well as the rigorous checks conducted to guarantee the safety of the blood bags before they are transfused to patients. Students were also informed about the conditions for blood donation, the steps involved before and after donation, and health tips to follow after donating.

At the end of the seminar, a competition was announced for the best promotional campaign among faculties to raise awareness of regular voluntary blood donation as a motivational tool for young people to engage with the "5 for 1" program. A blood donation drive was also held during the seminar to demonstrate the donation process to students in practice.