ISS hosts another blood drive |26 March 2022
The blood drive in full swing (Photo: Patrick Joubert)
Following the success of its first blood drive in November 2021, in response to a blood awareness campaign by the Ministry of Health’s Blood Transfusion Unit, the International School Seychelles (ISS) yesterday held another one, for the same purpose, at its premises at Mont Fleuri.
Compared to the first blood drive, more teachers, staff and parents came forward this time to assist the unit in replenishing the stock in the blood bank.
The school’s principal, Elodie Vallantine, said that they were very glad that the blood drive is growing.
She added that compared to the first blood drive, where 20 blood donors participated, some thirty of them signed up for yesterday’s event.
“I think a lot of people have been scared in the past to give blood and we’ve seen this at the last blood drive that ISS held and today we have first time blood donors that have come to join us. It shows that there is a lot of interest of giving back to the community in making sure that we’re helping the blood bank in the hospital because we know how critical the level is most of the time. We are glad that we are doing anything we can to help,” said the principal.
As a first time donor, ISS teacher Corinne Pouponneau said she wanted to participate in the first blood drive but she couldn’t as she had some health issues and now that her health is back to normal she has decided to participate in the gesture to save the lives of other people.
“With this special time of Lent about giving, it is the reason why I have come to donate blood. You have to give for you to be given back. The initiative is very good and with the first experience I have been into, through giving blood this morning, which went very well, I will definitely do it again,” said Ms Pouponneau.
Teacher Franciska Marie from Beau Vallon primary school said that she was going to the Blood Transfusion Unit to give blood in preparation for her father’s surgery but opted to come to ISS to make the donation to support the school in its blood drive campaign.
“I always give blood during Teacher’s Week. I take it as my duty to donate blood whenever I can because you never know what might happen one day,” said Ms Marie.
Elizabeth Banda, senior programme officer at the unit, said that although the blood bank has improved a little following two blood drives from two other organisations recently, the blood situation is still not very good.
She added that the unit encourages such blood drive initiatives and that other organisations interested in conducting such blood drives are to contact the unit to make necessary arrangements.
Patrick Joubert