Popular Cartagena event breaks bone marrow donor registration records

Cartagena has reached a new record for the registration of bone marrow donors in a single day, with 150 new registrations registered on Wednesday, September 16 in an event held in the Juan XXIII Square. The UMEdula 2026 event, apart from solidarity, sport, and exhibition activities, also included a campaign to recruit donors, and was spearheaded by the Military Emergency Unit.

The 150 new registrations represented a 50 per cent increase compared to the same event from last year, when approximately 100 registrations were recorded.

A successful day of newfound donors: Nurses, doctors, and other volunteers collaborate to help smash records

From 10:00am to 6:00pm, the Juan XXIII Square became the centre of a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of donating bone marrow, and thus increasing the chances of finding a match for patients who urgently need a transplant. In particular, the campaign was geared towards younger people, and in general at people between 18 and 40 years old.

During the event, nursing students and professors from the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, or UCAM, collaborated to register new potential donors.

The process to become a donor is surprisingly simple. Medical personnel only need a blood sample, which will help determine the donor’s genetic profile. Then, the person is incorporated into the Spanish Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Fun events at UMEdula 2026: sport, exhibitions, sorbet, and even a robot dog

In addition to the successful donor campaign, the day also included fun events like sporting activities, stationary cycling sessions, and exhibitions of vehicles, equipment, and capabilities of the Military Emergency Unit. The event featured the collaboration of Jimbee Cartagena, the beloved local football team, and the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, which contributed one of the most attention-grabbing attractions of the day: a robot dog.

Another popular attraction was the “Algarrobo Vivo” project, which offered attendees the opportunity to taste granita, a type of sorbet, made with carob. The product is traditional in the Cartagena area, and generated quite a buzz from foodies attending the event.

UMEdula 2026 to continue its tour across Spanish cities: don’t hesitate to become a donor

The UMEdula 2026 event is due to continue its tour across Spain, giving residents in other municipalities and cities the chance to register as a bone marrow donor and help those who are urgently in need of a transplant.