VILLUPURAM: Rushing through the hospital corridors following a friend’s desperate call, S Chandru Kumar realised the value of blood. Ahead of a crucial surgery of his friend’s mother, he was happy that he could donate blood for her.
Back in 2019, this moment marked the start of an impressive initiative that gave birth to volunteer group which was determined to make a difference, one pint at a time. In less than a decade, they have facilitated blood donation drives reaching over 4,000 people across the state while evolving into the Manitham Kaapom Trust.
“My intention to do social service began after my first blood donation. Following this, I decided to team up with my friends to organise donations. Currently, we have 60 core members in our team,” the 35-year-old hailing from Vikravandi taluk said.
Before establishing Manitham Kaapom, Kumar’s father, a vegetable seller at Koyambedu market in Chennai, was facing challenges with surplus vegetables owing to low sales during the pandemic. Kumar stepped in to make sure that these vegetables were distributed to those in need in his village, reinforcing his commitment to community welfare.
One of the trust’s remarkable achievements has been facilitating blood donations for individuals with the ‘Bombay blood’ group, also known as the HH blood group. This rare phenotype lacks the H antigen, making it incompatible with the commonly found ABO blood types. It is found in about 1 in 10,000 individuals in India. The trust has sourced this rare blood type for four patients in the last six years, even recently for a case in Ariyalur.
Kumar added that operating a blood donation trust isn’t without challenges. “Identifying donors with rare blood types requires networking and rapid mobilisation. We have built an extensive network with the assistance of blood donation groups across India. I was also proud to be part of the seven members invited from Tamil Nadu to the Blood Donor Council conference held in New Delhi in 2023,” he said.
The devastating impact of the Fengal cyclone was the turning point for the volunteer organisation when the group received over Rs 25 lakh worth of relief supplied as donations. Recognising the need for structure, the former additional collector of Villupuram, Srutanjay Narayanan, advised transitioning from a volunteer group into a formal trust. This allowed them to enhance their credibility and operational efficiency.
V Ashok Kumar, medical social officer in the blood bank at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Mundiyambakkam, said, “The service rendered by Manitham Kaapom volunteers is unmatched as they help us access negative and rare blood groups within 12 hours. They also help us transport blood anywhere across the state, even during heavy rains.” He added that the team has identified about 14 members with the rare Bombay blood group in the district, making it an important data repository in times of need.
“Accidents are an everyday occurrence along the Chennai-Tiruchy highway where the Mundiyambakkam GH is located. This means that we would have an urgent need for any blood group at odd hours. The 24-hour availability and efficiency of volunteer groups like Manitham Kaapom have been of immense assistance in saving many lives,” Ashok further said.
Another major initiative of Manitham Kaapom is the various drives against drugs that it conducts to raise awareness about the ill effects of drug addiction among youth. “We often post pictures of volunteers donating blood on our social media platforms. Through this wide coverage, we make a small attempt to deviate youth away from drug use and spread awareness against rampant addiction. We also hold monthly youth or student group meetings in colleges and other public places to highlight the need to abstain from drug abuse while also promoting the health benefits of donating blood frequently,” said Chandru Kumar.
Apart from blood donation, the group is also actively involved in environmental conservation. They have planted over four lakh palm saplings across the state in the last five years. The trust also received the Tamil Green Champion Award in 2023 from the state government for their relentless work.
The Manitham Kaapom Trust exemplifies how grassroots initiatives can address critical healthcare challenges. Through unwavering commitment, Kumar and his team have transformed personal experiences into a statewide movement, proving that collective efforts can indeed save lives.
(Edited by Rohith Sony)