KUCHING – Students and staff from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus on Thursday answered the call by the Sarawak General Hospital’s Blood Bank to donate blood in view of the fasting month.
The university’s auditorium where the campaign was held was a hive of activity as students and staff took turns to go through the necessary process for the blood transfusion.
By the end of the campaign, 90 students and staff had responded and a total of 56 pints of blood were harvested.
“We are very happy with today’s collection despite the fact it is the fasting month,” said Boniface Anak Lasek, the public relations officer from the Blood Bank.
“In most of our rounds, 30 pints is about the average we can collect but the students and staff of Swinburne (Sarawak) always give us more than that,” he said.
“In fact, we actually reserved Swinburne (Sarawak) especially for Ramadan because we know we will have a good harvest. We are very thankful to the students and the university for their support,” said Boniface.
On their part, the students felt that giving blood is a civic duty and encourage more people to exercise their social responsibility.
“Saving lives is everyone’s responsibility so we should help in some way and this is one of them,” said civil engineering student Jong Wei Tat, 22.
“The life that may be saved by donated blood could be your own one day.”
Donating for the third time, Jong said he would like to give blood whenever he can and encouraged others to help the blood bank ensure that it has ample supply.
“Quite afraid” when he gave blood the first time, David Ng, was on Thursday making his fourth donation. “It’s fulfilling to do something for the community. I’d encourage more people to do it and in fact I’ve asked some of my friends to come in and donate today,” said the final year civil engineering student.
But not everyone is used to giving blood, like first-time donor Liaw Min Chyong. “It’s a bit painful at first but it’s manageable. I had wanted to do it before but didn’t because there was no one to accompany me,” said the 19-year-old accounting student from Sibu, with a big smile.
On Thursday she was surrounded by three of her friends as she lay in the stretcher with a tube in her arm for the transfusion.
“Blood is needed to save lives so I am doing it to help those who need it,” she said.
This was echoed by burly accounting student Tay Han Loong, 21, who was donating for the second time when he said, “The strong must help the weak.”
The blood donation campaign was jointly organized by Swinburne Sarawak’s Malaysian Red Crescent Voluntary Aid Detachment, Leo Club and the staff Sport and Recreation Club.