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THE POWER OF WE
BLOOD DONORS OF AMERICA , DISTRICT 2-X1 LIONS
“GIFT OF LIFE” AND HDNP INTERNATIONAL JOURNEY OF YOUR BLOOD DONATION
By: Lion Gloria Mathur, LCI District 2-X1 Lions Chair, Gift of Life
Lions are known for their humanitarian services in various communities worldwide and are especially known for saving sights. Our motto is “We Serve” and service for others defines what we do and who we are. This is why Lions are a global network of volunteers making a difference in their communities. Lions clubs bring people together and when people come together good things happen.
Lions of District 2-X1 teamed up with HDNP International, Blood Donors of America (BDA) and Carter BloodCare, the community blood center to promote blood drives and support the community blood supplies. Through this partnership, we are able to support a great cause and help get more blood products to the people who need it most. Working together, we are able to improve the recruitment and retention of adequate and safe voluntary donors, help bring in more donors, increase donation and ensure the blood banks and hospitals in the community to have adequate blood supply for patients.
Lion Gloria Mathur and 1VDG Lion Vinod Mathur (center) at the latest BDA/HDNP Blood Drive
More than 4 million Americans would die each year if not for blood donors. In our community alone, 1000 people a day must donate in order to maintain the local blood supply. The good news is that one blood donation can save up to three lives. The gift of blood is the gift of life. Approximately every minute of the day someone in Texas need blood. Blood can’t be manufactured, it comes from generous donors. Donors are screened and blood donated is tested for the safety of the donor as well as the recipient. It is then processed into different components, red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. Each component is collected into separate storage bag and stored in monitored storage devices before it is shipped to the hospitals where its needed. Patients can use only the component they need. This way, more than one patient can benefit in a single donation. Their blood donations save the lives of millions, of heart, organ transplant, bone marrow transplant and blood disease patients, emergencies such as car accidents, burns, and patients in need of transfusion. Cancer patients are one of the most common recipients.
Joint blood drives, directly impact the supply in the hospitals, and the lives of people in the community. Every single blood donation by Lions, HDNP International / BDA donors is life saving, life changing for everyone involved in the process.
This is the “Power of We”, standing together in service and making the difference in our communities and the world. It is not about you or me but “We” as a group and what we can accomplish together.
"The lessons we remember are the lessons we learned the hard way."
Seth Godin, entrepreneur
VOLUME 28 ISSUE 12 / JUNE 2018 PAGE 23