Platelet 'SOS'

Pastor (Name withheld for privacy) Needs Help

I came to know about this Pastor on the Dec 2nd. Gleneagles Medical Centre, Haematology Department, Penang called me up on that particular morning. They had my contact because I left my standby details during my last encounter with them.

It was a distress call from them to treat this Pastor. He was diagnosed with leukemia earlier. According to the reliable sources, he has been in treatment since mid Nov. His condition has not been good. Judging from what I heard, I could feel the trauma this Pastor is facing.

I knew it because my Mum was a throat cancer victim which lasted for a year. Believe me, being a cancer patient is the worst nightmare a patient could face. Her painful experience lasted for almost a year. At the last critical stage, my Mum was at the level of pain where no painkiller could immune her pain. She was forced to administer Morphine to release the agony. Our family could not do much except to watch Her suffer. We tried to provide the best medicare we could afford. She passed away on Nov 9, 1990, exactly a year after she was diagnosed of throat cancer.

The pain that She suffered all those while had gone with her death. I felt so relieve for Her. I know I should not have felt this way for my Mum but this is exactly how I feel till now. I just didn't want Her to suffer any longer. I could remember Her taking Her last breath and Her last smile to our family when we were by Her side. I knew She had suffered enough and wanted to live with peace in Her next life. We have this belief of Re-incarnation and Karma. In fact I am happy for Her to leave this world with this smile. I will aways remember Her last smile.

My belief has actually moulded me to become a person who always look for ways to help people without expecting anything in return. I have this motto; 'Remember What You Had Receive, Forget What You Have Given'. I feel GOD has given us the power to change what we want to be, so we have to make the most of what we have to change whatever we can. I believe with genuine intentions, we can achieve the impossibles.

Although I have never met this Pastor, I hope I can help him through with this trauma and pain by making sure He doesn't need to worry about blood and platelet supply. This is what I can do for now and I hope to have a continuous flow of standby donors to keep Him going till he recovers. Lets pray and wish Him speedy recovery. A little thought from Us will definitely make this Pastor better sooner.

Showering help has No Boundary, No Skin Colour, No Religion, No Financial Status and No Time Limit. Offer our help whenever we can, while we can.

We may need help someday. Maybe not now. Maybe not yourself. Could be your loved ones. You will feel better during crisis when that happens.... I have felt it before. And now I feel good to give back......

Something Invaluable to Others When Needed

Blood Saves Lives And Blood Cannot Be Manufactured

This cannot be truer!

About a month and half ago, my mobile was flooded with a couple of messages in the middle of the night. I wasn't aware of it cause I was at sleep. Then came a call at about 2am which actually woke me up. It was a SOS call from my best friend.

His wife had given birth to a baby boy a couple of hours earlier. There were some complications right after the cesarean delivery. Her placenta kept bleeding. It was a nightmare for her and her doctors who tried to save her.

I know my best friend for more than 25 years. That early morning call was the very first time he requested help from me. I knew it was extremely serious by the way he sounded. "Sevelle is in ICU and she needs blood urgently. She had used almost 15 packets of blood for her transfusion. Please help me to get donors.........". I knew I needed to do something right to help his wife.

One thing came to my mind is the list of names that I have kept in my mobile phone on the previous 'like' SOS. I started to type messages on my mobile. "Sevelle needs B+ type blood due to blood loss during childbirth. Pls respond immediately to save her life and pls forward this sms to all you know. She is now in GMC Hospital. I can be reached at 0174784.... TQ". The message was sent out to all the people I knew.

All through the morning, I have had good Samaritans who called and message me to enquire about her situation. Some went straight to check with the hospital. I went to the hospital the following morning. Situation was tense. My friend Johnny looked exhausted. I assured him not to worry about the blood donors.

Some came forward to donate platelet (one of the composition in blood to stop bleeding) because she had a very low platelet count (around 20). I was put on standby for it. I could not donate any blood because I donated blood a month ago but for platelet is fine. (I was told that we could donate platelet every week instead of every 3 months for blood)

Her situation did not improve until the third day. The total blood transfusion amounted close to 40 packets which is ridiculously high. According to the doctor, it is like draining the blood from our body more than 3 times (each time 13 packets). I was told that she might develop some side symptoms from it. True enough. She developed rashes all over her body till today.

As for donors who came forward to donate and for those who called and sms me, I wish to thank Them on my best friend behalf for their efforts, care and prayers during the time of emergency. I appreciate the good responds although I don't know some of them personally. I must say what ever good deed They have done, they will be rewarded with kind Blessings.

My thought for now is to provide whatever I could in time of need to the person who need it most. And the beauty part of it is to provide what money can't buy. Something which cannot be manufactured. Something from the kindness of our heart. Something very personal. Something which we can give without much sacrifices but is able to save a person's life. This is the beauty of life that we live in and being able to serve with great Dignity.

I wish I could do more for everyone. I wish I would be able to help those who wish to help and those who wish to be help. This is life. We live only once...... I wish someone will be able to guide me to help others in need in a Big way........