Like all my previous posts in this series, I don’t share about somebody or someone doing good like a news reporter. I have personally met, interacted, been inspired and imbibed atleast some bit of it. What use is it being merely delighted without practicing? Isn’t it?
Manoj: Sai Ram Prajeet. How are you? [Prajeet was my batchmate at college. We both did Masters in Business Administration at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning]
Prajeet: Hey, Hi da. I am doing good maga ! [If you are a kannada speaking person, then you will know that maga is used between close buddies. Although literally it makes no sense.]
Manoj: Bro, Shall we meet up?
Prajeet: Hey, sorry da. I am on my way to donate blood. I am going to Whitefield to donate blood at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences [This is a totally free, meaning no billing counter, super speciality hospital, in Bangalore, now close to 2 decades old]
Manoj: That’s great bro. Did they request you?
Prajeet: No bro, I go regularly.
Manoj: What do you mean by ‘regularly’? Who ‘regularly’ donates blood? People do it when there is an emergency ask, or when blood donation drives happen in our offices….
Prajeet: Hmm (I could sense a smile on his face)…..
Thanks to Prajeet, I learnt a lot about blood donation from him. He does it regularly, like every 3 months. That’s the minimum time duration post which you can donate again. He started doing this while he was about age 20. He has donated over 35 times now. Almost 2-3 times every year. Isn’t this something phenomenal? A simple and yet so powerful way to donate something, that will anyways regenerate in few months and yet it is such a life saving, essential for the many operations that happen in this free hospital on a daily basis.
Prajeet: Bro, you can donate blood every three months. Our body has about 5-6 lts of blood and each time we donate, only about 350-450 ml is drawn from the body.
Manoj: That’s like just about 7% of our blood.
Prajeet: Yes. And this gets replaced in volume in our body in just 15-20 mins and cells are replaced within 24-48 hours. It takes about 3 months for the blood to be fully replenished. So comfortably, without fear you can donate every three months. Also, it can be separated into components and used for more than one patient. Blood from one, but life to many !
Manoj: Bro, I thought we both did MBA at college? Did you also study science ?!!?
Prajeet: Ha Ha Ha. Thanks to the frequent visits to the blood bank, I know a bit about blood too 🙂
Manoj: You stay in JP Nagar and the hospital you go to is in Whitefield. It’s like 2-3 hours drive.
Prajeet: Yes. I don’t mind it. Infact I find it worth all the effort and more. The blood is provided to the poor and needy patients free of charge. I am convinced that its put to best use.
Inspired by Prajeet, I too have started. But both our blood groups, B+ and O+ are amongst the most common ones. If you have any of the negative blood group and a rare blood group, then your contribution is indeed much more valuable.
Let’s share our blood and become part of the ‘good blooded’ folks !
Thank you for reading. Now start donating 🙂
संस्कृतम् 
Recently was made aware of this fact and possibly in the coming years should follow this simple and noble idea
LikeLike
Recently was made aware of this fact and possibly in the coming years should follow this simple and noble idea
LikeLike
Yes this is very fulfilling seva.
Once in a year Lions club comes to our university and collects blood. Always i think can Sai youth can do this drive in college s and Universities?
LikeLike