Media Release
Doha, Nov 5: Through a noble initiative, Mangalore Cricket Club (MCC), a socio-cultural organization reached out to its community by organizing a blood donation campaign on Friday November 3 at the Hamad Medical Corporation Blood Donor unit. This campaign received an enthusiastic response from its members and community members wherein different nationalities too got together to join this noble cause as a holistic service to the community and Qatar. This was the seventh blood donation campaign organized by MCC which witnessed a good turnout of donors from 8 am to 12.30 pm.
Riana Pinto, general secretary extended a general welcome and invited the president Prakash Noronha to address the gathering. Prakash Noronha welcomed the gathering and thanked all for attending in big numbers on that Friday morning to support this campaign. This noble deed of donating blood and saving lives of the needy was very much appreciated.
He then welcomed the Mangalurean community Dr Glen Fernandes, MBBS, MD anesthesia, fellowship pain management, working as a lead consultant for Acute Pain Services in the department of anesthesia and peri-operative medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation to speak on the benefits of blood donation. Kavita Tauro cultural secretary presented him with a flower bouquet.
Dr Glen working in the intensive care mentioned the dire need for blood donors on a daily basis at the trauma centre to save lives. He described the mechanism of how donated blood is screened and divided into plasma, platelets and used in the trauma centre and in critical cases, how the blood bank supports them in emergencies and how they react in trauma cases to alert the need of required blood group. He explained how important it is to donate blood as in some cases even 16 bottles are used on one patient in critical cases. He also explained how a body gains blood within 24 hours after donating blood and how a person benefits by being a donor. He also cleared doubts by answering questions from donors. Dr Glen concluded with an important message of the use of seatbelts while driving for the driver and passengers including kids in the back seat which is the major cause of accidents in Qatar. He requested to train oneself and pass on the legacy of safe driving to their children. Dr Glen shared some useful information through this talk to the gathered audience.
He too joined other donors in donating blood and also encouraged the volunteers to regularly donate blood. He appreciated the efforts of MCC toward organizing the campaign.
The president and committee members set an example by donating blood and took a good initiative in inviting many of their friends, colleagues, company people to join this drive. A good registration of 70 volunteers was witnessed out of which 42 were successful in donating blood after their checkup. All were provided snacks and juice.
Prominent members from the community ICC president Milan Arun, Karnataka Sangha president H K Madhu, senior vice president Venkata Rao, Tulu Koota patron/past president Ravi Shetty, Bunts Qatar president Navaneeth Shetty, Karnataka Muslim Cultural Association past president Niyaz Ahmad, Indian Sports Center Committee member Divakar Poojary were among those who attended the drive in support of this noble initiative.
Hamad Medical Corporation then presented Mangalore Cricket Club and donors with certificates of appreciation.
MCC president Prakash Noronha thanked all the committee members for their strong support and also thanked the company officials for sending in their employees, all MCC members, volunteers and donors to make this noble deed a successful campaign.