TOI : Blood donation runs in their blood : Oct 1, 2007
Blood donation runs in their blood
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: In Ahmedabad, blood donation has become a mission of sorts with
some families. In fact, there are at least seven families who have
collectively donated more than 200 units of blood each.
The family of Narhari Mavlankar (91) has donated a whopping 296 bottles
of blood so far. “It is our duty to give something back to society,”
Narhari’s
son Siddhartha Mavlankar, a businessman who plans to donate blood for the
125th time shortly, told TOI.
Siddhartha’s wife Angarekha and his two daughters also have contributed
to the family’s blood donation marathon. Meanwhile, the families of two
brothers-Ashok and Ramesh Patel-both businessmen and both closely associated
with the Satya Sai Seva Sangathan have donated 754 units.
Brothers Sudhir and Yogendra Shah, both businessmen again, have also
donated 229 units. The other families include Vasudev Thakkar whose family
has donated 219 units, businessman Suresh Patel and family has donated 204
units while secretary of the Ahmedabad Red Cross Blood Programme Mahesh
Trivedi and his family has donated 207 units.
Even as the country celebrates Voluntary Blood Donation Day on October
1, every minute one Gujarati could be donating blood. Every four minutes
there could be an Amdavadi donating blood, going by the records of the Red
Cross.
President of Ahmedabad Red Cross Blood Programme Mukesh Patel said,
“Gujaratis donate blood to celebrate birthdays, death anniversaries and even
weddings. In fact, a lot of people organise blood donation camps during the
besna of their loved ones”.
Three people occupying top jobs in Ahmedabad Red Cross have donated
blood 273 times. Patel has donated blood 120 times, Red Cross secretary
Mahesh Trivedi has donated 117 times while vice-president Shakuntala
Mavlankar has donated blood 36 times.
Publication:Times of India Mumbai; Date:Oct 1, 2007; Section:Times Nation;
Page Number:17