134 Blood Donors give a ‘Gift of Life’ at MCCS Blood Donation Camp
“Blood Donors are Life Savers”! 134 Blood Donors give a ‘Gift of Life’ at Mount Carmel Central School (MCCS) -Mary Hill-Mangaluru Blood Donation Camp; and Health Check-Up, in association with A J Hospital and A J Institute of Medical Sciences- Mangaluru. 200 plus received Free Health Check-Up, and nearly 50 signed up for Organ Donation.
Mangaluru: It’s true that ‘Service to Humanity is Service to God’; “A single pint of blood can save other’s lives. A single gesture can create a million smiles”. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth”- and for that matter, Mount Carmel Central School- Mary Hill, Mangaluru organized a Blood Donation and Health Check-Up camp on Sunday, 27th of August, 2017, as one of their 10 point programmes of the Decennial Year Celebration, to set an example to the budding students in community service involvement. Sunday morning which is considered as the lazy day of the week where many want to be still in the bed, but surprisingly quite a few parents of MCCS, and also a bunch of school well wishers woke up with the lark instead of taking a walk to the park, who came all enthused to the call of MCCS Blood donation drive in association with A. J. Hospital and AJ Institute of Medical Science-Mangaluru. Along with the blood donation drive, awareness was created to pledge the organs and stem cells as well.
The camp commenced with a prayer song thanking God for the blessing of good health and for granting a heart of kindness to answer to the call of giving life to others. Principal Sr. Melissa AC welcomed the gathering with mixed emotions of joy and gratitude, and said ‘If you are a blood donor, you are a hero/heroine to someone, somewhere, who received your gracious gift of life.’ All of us know that blood is a base of every human life; there is no life without blood. Blood is our prana, the power of life on earth. As part of the 10 point programme of our school’s decennial year, one of them being the Blood Donation Camp and General Health check up, we have all gathered here to share the prana with others and to assist in this noble task. Give…. for you are given to give. How true this saying is. We do not own the sun in the sky, yet more certainly, we can say the sun is ours because it gives and gives. This should be our motivation for today’s blood donation camp”.
The programme was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by Chief guest, Dr Prashanth Marla- Managing Director and CEO of A J Hospital, along with guest of honours Ms Soujanya Hegde, the “Mrs. Popular” at Haute Monde Mrs India Worldwide 2017 pageant; Sandeep D’souza- Vice President, PTA-MCCS; Sr. Carissima AC-Administrator,MCCS; Sr Melissa AC- Principal, MCCS; Craig D’Souza- Head Boy and Arolin Miranda- Head Girl of MCCS respectively. Addressing the gathering Soujanya said, “MCCS education has gone beyond books, in organizing this blood donation drive and I am happy to be a part of MCCS family, since my two children are studying here.The blood is red gold in time of saving a life. Blood is meant to circulate, so we need to pass it around. Donation of Blood means a few minutes to you but a lifetime for somebody else. The blood you donate gives someone another chance at life. One day that someone may be a close relative, a friend, a loved one, or even you. Blood is something we all expect to be there for us when we need it, yet very few of us come forward actively to give blood – many people would not be alive today if it wasn’t for the generosity of blood donors. MCCS has done a great service in organizing this Blood Donation camp”
Dr. Prashanth Marla, also speaking cited the advantages of blood donation. He said, “While we are diligent in our vehicle and property insurance, we also need to be more diligent in our annual health check up. Blood donation is the easiest and the most powerful way to make an impact. Your donation of blood will surely save some one’s life one of these days. Blood transfusion is an essential component of emergency health care. Emergencies increase the demand for blood transfusion and make its delivery challenging and complex. Adequate supply of blood during emergencies requires a well-organized blood service, and this can only be ensured by engaging the entire community and a blood donor population committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation throughout the year. I request you to also sign up for Organ Donation, because out there is desperately waiting for an organ. “
The vote of thanks was delivered by Ms. Leena Mary Jose, and Ms Philomena Pinto compered the programme with sensitivity, both being MCCS school teachers.There was good response from staff, parents, well wishers and neighbors for blood donation. 134 donated blood, while some of them returned disappointed as they were not fit to do so after a brief check-up. Around 50 pledged for Organ donation and some others for Stem cells donation while 200 plus availed of the benefits of general health checkup, which comprised of Cardiology, Urology, Gastro-Enterology, ENT, Eye, Skin, General Medicine. Experience surgeons and other medical staff of AJ Hospital were at the helm of this health check-up. It was satisfying to see so many responding to this humble call of MCCS. The saying goes true, ‘Blood is meant to circulate. Pass it on.’ May be we have done little today to save a life, but surely it will save someone’s life in a greater way tomorrow.
The blood donation camp winded up around 2.00 pm. MCCS appreciated the whole hearted cooperation rendered by their staff, student leaders and PTEC members in the successful organization of the event. Being the Decennial year of the School, they pledge to continue their journey as a pioneering and a progressing educational institution, keeping community we serve at heart. In conclusion, we should all know that life of some patients is resting on a fraction of hope in quest of your gift of love. A life in the surgeon’s hand may be yours, so come forward to donate blood right away. When you donate blood, you save lives. Accidents and medical emergencies don’t take holidays—we need blood every minute, every day of the year.
The blood you donate gives someone another chance at life. One day that someone may be a close relative, a friend, a loved one—or even you. You can observe your birthday by donating blood, which will make you proud. A few drops of your blood can help a life to bloom. Blood it’s in you to give-So give from the heart today and the Life You Save Could Be Your Own. You don’t have to have a medical degree to save a life. Just a fair degree of humanity. Give Blood. Save Life. Blood donation will cost you nothing but it will save a life! A life is waiting for a bag of blood from you. Be a Life Guard. Give Blood to save life. Run, Run, quickly hit the mud, Come be good, and give some blood! Sincere thanks to all those who came forward to donate blood-May God bless you all.
