Date:12/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/06/12/stories/2004061201741900.htm

Back World Blood Donor day on Monday

Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram , June 11

SURGICALS major Terumo Penpol has teamed up with the All-Kerala Blood Donors Society (KEBS) and the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) to honour those who have been donating blood on a regular basis for a public cause.

This was being held to commemorate the observance from this year of June 14 as the World Blood Donor day. The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the donor population's invaluable contribution to the society's cause and encourage voluntary non-remunerated donation among the new generation.

The day will witness the launch of a worldwide campaign titled, "Blood, a gift for life", at Johannesburg in South Africa. It was being hosted by the South African National Blood Services in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The day would also bring together on one platform the World Health Organisation, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations, the International Society of Blood Transfusion and local blood transfusion organisations.

A Terumo Penpol spokesperson said here that the WHO had approached KEBS and SCTIMST to support the programme by honouring the "unsung heroes" who have been donating blood on a voluntary, non-remunerated basis. As per this, lead donors would be feted based on the following criteria.

The qualifying benchmark for being selected for the donor award would be a minimum of 10 donations during the past five years. There would be separate prizes for those who have donated more than 50 times, between 25 - 50 times, and 10 - 25 times. A public function was being organised at the SCTIMST Blood Bank Auditorium at 10.30 a.m. on June 14 (Monday).

Details could be had from the Public Relations Officer, Terumo Penpol Ltd, Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram; or on telephone 98474-22400, 0471-2725357 or on email babytpl@yahoo.com. The campaign kit and other information are available on the website http://www.wbdd.org.