On this World Blood Donor Day 2021, Dipesh Tank, an avid blood donor recounts his experience of donation during the Covid pandemic and the importance of donation.
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Dipesh, tell us how did you start donating blood? What inspired you to keep donating?
My first job was as an office boy in a computer manufacturing company. We had a job in hand to execute India's largest blood donation drive in NESCO, around 100+ hospitals blood bank were present to extract blood. I had never seen such a huge project for a subject that was an alien concept for a young 17 year old boy like me. I picked up the manual to understand blood donation and how it helps people. I was astonished to see how only 1 unit of blood can save more than 1 person’s life. This made me realise that blood donation is extremely important! However, there were two challenges in that the first one was I was underage at the time to donate blood and the second and most important one the fear of the “metal object that goes inside the veins”. My fear of the pain associated with the syringe was probably the biggest worry. Thankfully, I had 12 months before I faced my fear.
I decided that my first ever blood donation will be when I turned eighteen on 19th July 2002. I went to donate blood and in return I got a Blood Donation coupon which I gave to someone who needed it for their child's cancer treatment. The coupon entitles one to a unit of blood for free. When I gave the coupon to the family, the joy and gratitude they showed was priceless, this encouraged me to continue with blood donation. Till date I have donated around 58 units of blood and no count on platelets excluding a year where I got dengue.
Related Reading: Blood donation Guidelines
How often do you donate?
I donate a minimum 4 times in a year.
How was your experience of donating during the pandemic? How was it different?
During the pandemic, blood demand was very less as most of the surgeries were postponed but there was a dying need of plasma as hospitals/doctors insisted on getting plasma. In 2020 Sept, my mom, dad and myself were all Covid positive and my dad was in hospital and he was given two units of plasma. I then completely understood what a family would go-through in trying times like that. Unlike blood, plasma can be stored for longer time and the frequency of plasma donation is much sooner so yes it was indeed satisfying to keep donating plasma during pandemic.
PatientsEngage note: Please note that there is no evidence that plasma is effective in COVID management
How did you overcome the pandemic challenges in order to continue giving blood?
The pandemic challenges were one of its kind, never seen by our generation. From losing jobs to no oxygen/beds available, people losing their loved ones due no meds or lack of medical resources available. Not sure if I have still overcome the challenges, I still get calls from people asking for food grains, school fees and basic survival needs. It's tough but we overcome this phase soon.
Did you donate before and/or after Covid vaccination?
Yes I did donate blood and plasma in the month of Feb before I got my vaccination.
What would be your advice to people who wish to donate but are scared?
My response to citizens, who want to donate but have fear or misconception about blood donation, is please make yourself aware and mitigate those worries or fears about Blood Donation. If you have ever dreamt about helping people and saving lives, then this could be the easiest way, unlike other life saving jobs where risk is extremely high eg: Soldiers and Covid care doctors/medical workers.
I feel the purpose of humanity is to protect and save fellow humans and other life forms, the least we can do is to stand by our race and spread kindness.
