DHARMAPURI: Prakash is quite unlike millions of people who have happily received blood from others. The 43-year-old from Oddapatti village in Dharmapuri district took blood donation as his life mission after he received blood from a donor and got a new lease of life. He knows a every drop of your blood is a lifeline for others who are in dire need of it.
He carries out the blood-donation drive through the Dharmapuri-based NGO ‘We For You’ which he set up 15 years after he first required blood himself. Prakash firmly believes in service to humanity.
Prakash aspired to become either a teacher or a police official as he always harboured a desire to contribute meaningfully to society. At 18, he enrolled at the Government Arts and Science College in Krishnagiri in 1999. However, fate took an unexpected turn when, one day, while seated atop his hostel building, he accidentally fell, sustaining severe injuries. He was initially rushed to the nearby hospital. However, due to financial constraints, his parents opted for Siddha medicine, believing it would help a speedy recovery. But Prakash found himself struggling to walk after a year of bed rest.
An orthopaedic surgeon advised the family to seek treatment in Bangalore and there he opted for surgery at a private hospital. Blood transfusion which was necessary during his surgery was arranged by the hospital. Two days after the operation, students from a Bangalore college, who voluntarily donated blood, visited Prakash.
While expressing his gratitude, Prakash was told by the students not to thank them but to spread awareness about the significance of blood donation. This realisation spurred Prakash to reciprocate the gesture through a blood donation. Prakash established the NGO ‘We For You’ in 2016, officially registering it in 2017.
With a team of 15 individuals spread across the state, the organisation emerged as a platform for Prakash to actively engage in blood-donation initiatives. In just three to four months following its inception, the NGO successfully appointed coordinators in each district across the state. This move enabled them to conduct more blood donation camps and respond promptly by donating blood during emergencies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prakash and his NGO played a crucial role in mobilising a minimum of 250 units of blood during emergencies. In times of crisis, Prakash actively communicates the need for blood and, upon finding willing donors, promptly visits them. “I am committed to donating blood once a year. Additionally, in emergencies, I never hesitate to contribute,” Prakash affirmed.
And he didn’t want to limit his service with blood donation. He also organises free medical campaigns in rural areas, providing medical equipment for both senior citizens and physically challenged individuals. While visiting hilly regions as a part of the ‘We For You’ activities, he set up tuition centres where two hours of free classes are conducted for needy students by local volunteers serving as teachers.
Moreover, the NGO has been distributing, at least, 100 to 200 no-cost food packets daily to the public outside the government hospitals in Dharmapuri. It collaborates with Dharmapuri Food Bank and 18 other NGOs within Dharmapuri in this endeavour.
He has so far facilitated donation of 13,155 units of the life-sustaining fluid. He himself has so far donated 13 units of blood in the last eight years, saving the lives of almost 50 patients. He is driven by the mantra — ‘Nandri maravel’, meaning ‘have gratitude’ — for the favours received. And the life goes on.