The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Celebrating it with blood donation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 28, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Celebrating it with blood donation

Sahana Charan

Camps are being organised on wedding anniversaries and other important celebrations

A NOBLE GESTURE: A blood donation camp on at a private function in Bangalore.

Bangalore: A few years ago when a couple in Bangalore decided to celebrate its wedding in a unique way — by donating blood — they inspired many others to follow their lead.

A new trend has now caught on — families are making important events in their lives such as weddings, birthdays and housewarming ceremonies more meaningful by organising blood donation camps on those days.

Recently, the Jajoo family chose this novel way to mark the 71st birthday of their father Deokishan Jajoo and organised a blood donation camp in association with the Manipal Hospital. Relatives, friends and residents of apartment block in Tilaknagar they stay in were encouraged to donate blood as part of the function and around 50 people offered to participate in the camp.

"There are hundreds of events such as weddings, birthdays and other functions in the city everyday.

"Even if a small percentage arrange to have blood donation camps during such gatherings, hundreds of lives could be saved," C. Shivaram, Chief of Transfusion Services at Manipal Hospital, said.

He said that even though the number of people motivated to hold such camps are few, these events can inspire others.

According to B. Kumar, popularly known as Blood Kumar, organising blood donation camps at weddings and other family functions can be beneficial during the holiday season.

"This is the time when blood banks face shortage because of closure of colleges and unavailability of students during this time as they are the ones who donate blood mostly at voluntary blood donation camps," he said.

Mr. Kumar, who has donated blood 80 times, will be organising a blood donation camp to mark his wedding day on July 7.

But it is still not a better option compared to mobile camps, says Alphonse Kurian of the Lions Club of Sanjaynagar.

"We have a few requests to conduct camps at functions such as house warming ceremony and this is a good way to spread awareness among people to donate blood. But the number of people wanting to organise a camp to mark a family function are few," Mr. Kurian said. To hold a camp, you can call 9845375432 (Manipal Hospital Blood Bank) or 944812330 (Lions Club of Bangalore, Sanjaynagar).

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