Dr. Nicholas Maraj
The Blood for Britain project was a relief program organised by the American Red Cross. Civilians came out in droves to give blood for their fellow brothers in arms fighting the axis forces of WW2. It was very hyped, encouraging individuals to be patriotic for their country and do their part, fighting in their own little way for their country and their people. This project lay the groundwork for what would be the standard blood banking practices done worldwide.
The second time I gave blood I remember well as the first time was pretty unremarkable. I was a young medical intern on the Just Because Foundation (JBF) Ward (the paediatric cancer ward) treating a 7-year-old girl, (call her Maria as I can’t use her real name) diagnosed with Leukaemia. This young girl had one of the most aggressive forms of cancer our team had seen in some time. What struck me the most, was what a wonderful and brave human being she was despite all that was going on with her. She didn’t fuss much even with all her relatively painful medical procedures (drawing blood samples, putting in intravenous lines), she was really smart about her condition, and she loved playing with her teddy bears. She was courageous! She was a fighter, fighting that dastardly Leukaemia with everything her little body and mind had.
With Leukaemia, patients often need to get multiple blood transfusions and sourcing blood for her was usually difficult given her blood type. One day after trying for a while to get blood for her to no avail, I decided to go to the blood bank in Mt Hope and donate a pint of my blood for her.
The outpouring of emotion I got from her family from that small act of kindness, I will forever remember. It solidified how much I enjoyed being able to help people. Sadly, time went along and Maria’s Leukaemia got worse. One rainy morning at 630AM on call, Maria’s fight ended. Everyone on the ward cried. Other parents. Other patients. The staff. All of us. The soul wrenching wails of pain and sorrow her parents cried that day will never leave me. It was beyond painful.
Since then, I have been a fairly consistent voluntary blood donor. And every time I give that 500mL of blood, I remember little Maria and her great battle with the most ferocious of enemies, her own body. I think that these superheroes, young kids with cancer, need as much support as we can give them. If by giving my blood, I can help them in some small way, I would do it willingly over and over and over again. Wouldn’t you?