Freely We Receive Freely We Give. Come, Donate Our Blood!

They say donating blood is good. It sure is. It is free and most importantly, blood saves lives, including the lives of the rich and powerful. The worldly order of things is that the materially haves folks are the expected ones who should donate to the materially have-nots. In the case of blood donation, the reverse is almost every time true. Majority of the blood donors are the ordinary Sipolans on the streets be it terms ratio and percentage.

It is ironic that while majority of the blood donors are lay people, many amongst the rich and powerful folks are not quite keen to do the same. I remember some years back of a newspaper report from India where a pint of blood can fetch as high as more then ten thousand ringgit. Well, at least they buy, I mean those rich and powerful Indians. Ours? No, I am not quite sure of that. Anyway, I would have been richer by ten thousand ringgit if blood were for sale here in Malaysia.

I first ‘learned’ how to donate blood back in the year 2000. Then there was a long pause until this year. Last July, The Society of St Vincent De Paul (SSVP) and Lundu District Hospital organized a blood donation campaign. I was amongst the more than forty odd volunteers. We are not just volunteers, but happy and eager ones at that. A few days ago I did it again, this time may be as a sole donor of the day. I was accompanied by my three daughters and my nine year old son, who acts as the 'cameraboy'. Earlier on, I made a call to the hospital's pathology department and the answer was, "Anytime brother, be not afraid", was the answer of a polite lady at the other end of the line. So I did.

I need not have to make a ‘Surat Akuan Bersumpah’ or an oath of “Statutory Declaration ” that donating blood is good and beneficial to both donors and recipients, but here is my testimony. I have been suffering from severe head pain for the last few years. The pain can be so unbearable and can come at any time without ‘notice’ that there are times when I vomited severely and twice I lost consciousness. Call it migraine or whatever but doctors including specialists could not conclusively determine what the cause of the pain was. Thank God, all that is now gone.

Is it because as a result of my donating blood? I say a big yes. Yes, because I have not taken any prolonged prescribed medication; and yes, because I have not changed my food regime and habit. And yes, I believe in prayer too, lots of it. In fact I find prayer very important in all my undertakings.

For those who are healthy, why not try donate your blood too? It can be done after every three months. We always say; "Money we don't have, gold and diamond also we don't have, how to donate?". But I say, "We have blood, so blood we donate". And we don't just donate, we save lives by so doing.

Below are some pictures of some of us in action donating our blood. Please click on pictures to view larger images.

One for the album, please!

Mr David Bong, the friendly Laboratory Technologist checking the particulars of a newly registered donor. Behind is a nurse who came to assist.

This 'shy shy cat' student nurse readying and psyching herself up with a 'shy shy laugh'.

Another friendly Laboratory Technologist diligently trying to insert a cannula to the arm of another donor, a Health Inspector by profession.

"Hello mister photographer, can you take our picture, please?"

"Dear donors, I tell you that donating blood is good and noble and we salute you. But to be honest, we ourselves have not done that yet."

The hero of the day. This gentleman has donated not less than fifty pints of his blood over the years.

Plenty of time to tie a shoe lace while waiting for their turns. Faces of happy and willing blood donors.

"I just want to make sure that this blood is free from any contamination", says Mr Muiees to the nurse.

"I pray to God that this blood of mine will save the life of anyone who receives it."

Three student Laboratory Technologists posing with their mentor on the right.

A shot by my nine year old son of his two elder sisters waiting patiently for dear dad to complete the blood donation.

This frame, shot by my nine year old son. Another very amicable Laboratory Technologist, Mister Shabeli Yaya and me.

For anyone who wishes to donate their blood, please contact the nearest clinic or hospital. We will never know when we and our loves ones need blood transfusion.