Non-profit organization Youth on the Rise Guyana (YORG) and the Guyana Cancer Foundation will be hosting a blood drive this Saturday, February 27th , at Vreed-en-Hoop Junction.
The hosting of the campaign comes amidst a continuing call by the national blood bank, the National Blood Transfusion Service, for persons to donate blood as it is in need of the fluid.
Blood drives have been hosted annually by the YORG since it was founded in 2018. The group last hosted one in February of last year and a year later it is calling on volunteers to take this opportunity of be someone’s lifeline.
Sasha Rawof, Director of YORG, explained that donating a pint of blood can save up to three lives. She noted that the officials from the blood bank will see to it that volunteers are healthy before any taking of blood is done. She said that persons wishing to be a part of this exercise must first have their blood count checked and blood group verified, all of which will be done at the site. Persons with a low blood count will not be allowed to go through with the process.
When asked what will be done to detect HIV or any other diseases, Rawof expounded that this is done after the blood is donated and before it is given to a patient in need.
At last year’s blood drive, thirty-six pints of blood were donated. Rawof noted that while there was a large turnout, a number of persons were found to have low blood counts.
Owing to COVID-19, YORG’s plans for last year after the blood drive were cancelled. While the transmission of the virus still prevails, persons are more informed about the needed precautions for staying safe and as a result YORG plans on going ahead full throttle this year with all that it wishes to do. Currently, it has planned feeding projects to help the homeless as well as children at the orphanages for next month while a book drive and a clothing drive are both to scheduled to follow in April.
The blood drive will be conducted at the Summertime Travel Agency, situated in the Lucky Dollar Building at Vreed-en-Hoop from 10am to 4pm. Persons are reminded to wear their face masks.
For more information, Rawof can be contacted at the organization’s Facebook page or at 611-6494 or 660-3608.
