COIMBATORE: About six months ago, this city-based 73-year old gentleman received a call from a hospital to check if he was available to donate blood. This hospital reached out to him as they were unable to find a donor for O+ blood then.
Arun Gokuldas’s face lights up with joy when he shares with us that this was the 157th time he donated blood. The hospital authorities checked his blood pressure, haemoglobin and other parameters, after which he was permitted to donate blood.
This, as of now, for the records is the last time that he donated his blood. On World Blood Donation Day, Mr Gokuldas shared with DC that he believes “as life is to live, the blood is to give.”
His tryst with blood donation started when he a 15-year-old teenager visited Australia on a student exchange programme. Having been inspired by his host who is a blood donor, he had to wait till he was 18 to donate blood. “Thus, on my 18th birthday, on April 1, I donated blood for the first time and since then on, there has been no looking back for me. Age is just a number for me when it comes to donating blood. I believe if I satisfy the medical parameters, I will continue to donate blood as long as I can.”
As a remembrance, Gokuldas has pinned on his overcoat, the badges that he has received as a token of appreciation for participating in various blood donation drives.
A retired businessman, he signs off saying that he will continue visiting schools and colleges spreading the awareness about blood donation among people.
