Donating blood can often feel daunting or intimidating, but Rumble in the Jumble and Beijing United Family Hospital aim to shift that perception with "Heartbeat." This community-focused blood donation event is scheduled for Saturday, May 23, and will turn Rumble's cherished Bazzarday into an entire day dedicated to wellness, entertainment, and community engagement—all revolving around a critical life-saving mission.
While blood donations will occur in a calm, designated area, the rest of the venue will be filled with various activities. Rumble and Beijing United have teamed up with three improv groups: Beijing Improv, Beijing Broads, and Comedy Citadel, to help promote the event and keep the laughter alive throughout the day.
Families can enjoy a variety of games and activities suitable for both children and adults, or they can take a moment to unwind with meditation and mindfulness sessions. True to the spirit of Rumble's Bazzarday, there will also be a market featuring nearly 30 vendors showcasing crafts, food, beverages, and wellness items.
The essence of the event is rooted in an urgent reality: blood shortages are a persistent global issue. The need for blood can arise unexpectedly for surgeries, emergencies, cancer treatment, or complications during childbirth, impacting anyone. Through "Heartbeat," Rumble and Beijing United aspire to not only encourage donations on the day but also to establish a long-term community donor network that people can rely on in crises.
Before the event, we spoke with Rumble organizer Fran Hanshing about the inspiration for "Heartbeat," the importance of entertainment in the event, and how they plan to make blood donation feel more accessible.
What motivated Rumble to collaborate with Beijing United Family Hospital for this blood drive? Beijing United Family Hospital has been supporting Rumble's events for some time. They symbolize security in health services for both the local and international communities—an institution we’re proud to partner with. Discussions about joining forces had been ongoing, and in late January this year, we met to explore various themes, including the idea of organizing a blood drive.
The concept posed a challenge, but Team Rumble thrives on challenges. Thus, we named it "Heartbeat"—a community-driven event aimed at addressing a significant public need through creativity, education, and engagement: raising awareness about blood donation and recruiting donors. We're not "inventing" blood drives, as Beijing United Family Hospital has been hosting them for over 20 years—but we recognized that generating awareness about this public duty required a different approach. Enter Rumble's epic Bazzarday!
Why did you choose to collaborate with improv groups for the event, and what can you tell us about their involvement? We have worked with improv teams previously, and we felt it was essential to promote this as an event for the community, by the community. Laughter benefits the heart, and a stronger heart pumps more blood—making them ideal partners. Their creativity was crucial. To craft content that is informative, educational, and humorous all at once, we needed a larger team. "It takes a village to raise a child"—raising awareness about blood donation requires the whole international community working together.
This event is more than just a blood drive; why was it important to incorporate wellness, entertainment, and community activities throughout the day? Let’s be honest: most people don’t wake up saying, "Today, I’m going to donate blood." We’ve heard concerns that donating blood takes too long, could be painful, or involves losing too much blood. Too many "buts." The truth is, many don’t think about it until they are directly affected by an emergency and find themselves seeking donors.
We believed that if we integrated wellness into the day, we would attract a larger crowd. There’s something for everyone: conscious consumption, improv workshops, empowering dance, mindful sharing, activities for kids—and everyone who donates blood will receive a goodie bag and a donor certificate. Pretty neat, right?
Lastly, do you envision this collaboration becoming a regular community initiative in the future? We have been planning this event for over four months, and we’re incredibly thankful to all our partners for their support. We hope the message resonates, leaving us with the feeling that this is not only an event that fills our hearts with pride but also a mindset for the audience. This way, when we do it again, the community will know it's going to be fun—not painful, not dull.
We continue to urge people to donate blood on-site during the event, but if they cannot do so that day, they can join our donor list for future opportunities. For any questions, individuals can add Rumble’s WeChat service account "BAZZARDAY" or join our WeChat group "Heartbeat Community" by scanning the QR code below for any inquiries before becoming a donor.
Heartbeat will take place at Beijing United Family Hospital's Jiangtai Lu branch on Saturday, May 23, from noon to 7 PM. You can scan the QR
Heartbeat is not only a blood drive; it is a community-driven day focused on wellness, entertainment, and giving back.
Heartbeat is not only a blood drive; it is a day of wellness, entertainment, and community engagement.
Beyond being merely a blood drive, Heartbeat is a day of wellness, entertainment, and community engagement.