Emulate the life of blood donors in past, present and future

 

June 14

 

Buddhism classifies donations as the lowest level of donations using cash and kind property, the middle level based on body organs and limbs of humans and the highest level defined as sacrificing life. As a religious concept, Myanmar Buddhist people assume that the donation of blood is one of the noble meritorious deeds based on the body organs of humans.

 

Donating blood is seldom for all. It is because those wishing to donate blood must be healthy and fit and capable of donating the blood. Their blood must be pure without any diseases and viruses, and such kinds of blood must be suitable for receivers. Blood groups and the nature of donors must coincide with that of receiver patients.

 

Importantly, all blood donors must be at least 17 years old to donate the general blood supply or 16 years old with parental or guardian consent. Such a limit may be different from global countries depending on the enactment of relevant laws to protect the interests of blood donors.

 

Generally, everybody does not dare to sacrifice their property, life and limbs. But, blood donors keenly and happily donate their blood for saving the lives and limbs of patients they have never seen. Those donors do not intend to possess any results on property, opportunities and optimistic responses from receivers or society. It can be said that they donate blood without any attachments to possible possession.

 

Hence, noble blood donors are honoured by setting World Blood Donor Day in 2004. Every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

 

The theme for the 2023 World Blood Donor Day campaign, celebrated on 14 June 2023, is “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.” It focuses on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma.

 

In truth, blood donors are life savers. Their blood can help smooth treatment for patients. Donating blood is not based on discrimination. The blood and plasma regardless of religion, skin colour, political doctrine, friends, enemies, the rich, the poor and so on flows into the patients for better treatment to initiate relationships among the global people. As a concept of Buddhism, those blood donors are surely to thumb up in the vicious circle.