THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was a Facebook post by 37-year-old Shajahan in early March that helped the Regional Cancer Centre’s (RCC) blood bank overcome a steep fall in the number of donors owing to the Covid-19 scare. The post went viral and people and youth organisations poured in to donate blood.As RCC blood bank follows ‘replacement donation’, it poses a challenge for people from far-off places, who do not have friends or relatives in the city. Shajahan is a beacon of hope for them. Using his vast network of friends and social media supporters, Shajahan arranges suitable donors.
Everyday, Shajahan will be present at the blood bank around 11am ready to help relatives of patients who approach him. This good samaritan is a vegetable trader in Chalai market.“My work starts at 3.30am everyday. I’m engaged in intermediary trade, which means I buy goods from wholesalers and sell them to small vendors. I’ll be done at the market in five hours. Then, I go home, take a quick bath, have food and reach RCC in 15 minutes,” he said.
Shajahan first donated blood ten years ago for a patient from Malappuram. “My friend introduced me to the patient’s relative. At the blood bank, I saw people frantically searching for donors. Most of them were from distant places who had little contacts here,” he said.Shajahan has since been a regular donor and even switched to platelet donation. “Platelet transfusion will help the patient regain blood count faster. Also, the standard interval between two platelet donations is just three days, while it is three months for blood donation. However, platelet donation takes one-and-a-half hours,” he said.
Shajahan has arranged over 5,000 donors for cancer patients. Some textile and jewellery shop owners have even helped him by sending their staff for donation.Shajahan becomes distraught if he cannot save a life despite fighting for it. He recalled the story of a poor couple from Palakkad who lost both their kids. “The six-year-old daughter died first. A year later, their seven-year-old son also died. The parents were devastated,” he said. The couple did not have any money left. Shajahan arranged an ambulance and accompanied them to their native place. Those who wish to donate may contact Shajahan at 9699694969.