For a Noble Cause

The day began with a lot of excitement and anxiety. When I entered office one of my colleagues was inviting everyone to participate in the Blood donation camp run by St. Johns medical college hospital in our office. I was in double mind, since I had never donated blood in my life. I was not sure whether to participate in the camp or not. My heart said that it’s a noble cause and its worth going there. However, bad memories of fainting during a blood test in my school days and the reluctance of some of our colleagues to donate blood restrained me from participating in the camp.

Finally after lunch when the HR lady came to my desk to check whether I have donated blood, I decided to give it a shot. Thankfully there were two colleagues of mine volunteered at the same time. I expressed my apprehensions to them. Since they had donated blood in the past, they informed me that it would not have any major effects on our body. Their encouragement helped me take a decision.

My mind was still filled with anxiety though I had taken the decision. The customary checks on the weight, blood group etc was over and I was interviewed by the doctor with the usual questions that they ask before donating the blood. There were ten beds in the hall and many of them were giving blood at that time. When the doctor was interviewing me I saw them collecting blood from the donors. It was almost the size of 500 ml milk packet. I was wondering whether there would be enough blood left in my body when they take 500 ml of blood. I had an urge to run back to my cubicle, but I restrained myself from doing so, realizing how bad publicity it would be if others come to know of it. When my turn came up a colleague of mine who had given blood had a black out. Looking at him my anxiety increased.

Finally I was in the bed thinking of what would be my status when I complete the activity. I was thinking whether god would have a list of people who have died by donating blood, and how the entrance of heaven and hell would be. But at last when the doctor came to me and told that the process is complete, I felt relieved. Finally I really felt good, because my blood could save a life in this planet. We would not get this opportunity on a daily basis. My suggestion to anyone who has not donated blood is to utilize these opportunities. To be frank, I never had any issues after donating blood. I was feeling a bit tired, which made me eat a lot of food during the day. Try it out at least once. It is worth the effort.

Finally when I was lying in the bed relieved that nothing bad has happened, one of the lady doctors came to me and encouraged me by saying that I had only given a small portion of the blood, which made me think about the sufferings that the other gender would undergo in the normal course of their life. Needless to mention, that this event increased my respect for the other gender.