This Chennai resident has donated blood 93 times

CHENNAI: The State Health Department has been trying to create awareness of voluntary blood donations and encourage more people to donate blood through various programmes. But, this Chennai based 53-year-old man Anand PL has been doing the same since 1987 on his own.

A resident of Kodambakkam and a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Anand is an active blood donor who has donated his blood 93 times and encourages more people to donate blood voluntarily.

"When I was 19, during one of the morning sessions in 1987, NSS volunteers of Mar Ivanious College, Thiruvananthapuram, got into the class and asked for some volunteers for blood donation for a patient. It was a sudden decision and I stood up and walked along with them to Sri Chitra Thirunal Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. After the preliminary tests, I donated the blood and it gave me a heavenly feeling – that, I am useful to someone, he says talking about how he started on the journey of regular blood donation.

He explains that during those days, blood donation was not so popular and there was a lot of fear on the same. "My parents thinking were also the same, I use to wear full-sleeve shirts on the day when I have to donate blood, such that, they won’t find the bandage on my hands. After I moved to Chennai, I started donating blood regularly and would encourage my friends also to donate blood. I have donated blood in many hospitals in Chennai, New Delhi, Tirunelveli and Thiruvananthapuram," he said.

Blood cannot be produced in any factory. It is produced within human body only. In this society, there are less donors than the receivers. The blood donated gets replaced quantity-wise within hours and it takes 3 months to get replaced quality-wise. A person can donate platelets with a minimum gap of 10 days, he says.

After 93 blood donations, Anand is completely well and would want to cross the century in blood donations. He says that he maintains his blood pressure, haemoglobin and platelets normal so that he can do the donation successfully. He has also donated, platelets and RBCs also.

"As such if you look at blood donation. It is one of the simplest, easy ways to help a needy man in time, cross-checking our health condition and getting good self-satisfaction of doing a noble job," says Anand.

“Where-ever I go, or whomsoever I meet, I make it a point to discuss blood donation and its benefits, plus points to the donor. Many are misinformed about the myths about blood donation. I talk to these people and tell them about my journey and now my own family members are also actively donating blood," he adds.