JAMMU&KASHMIR: A mother of three and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker in the J&K Health Department, Bilquees Ara, 34, has set an extraordinary example of social service and compassion. She is on a “Mission of Hope” to save precious lives by donating blood—41 times in the last 13 years—inspiring others to shatter the myths associated with it.
A journey that began on June 23, 2012, started when a frightened Bilquees donated one pint of blood to her cousin at the Srinagar hospital.
“I went to the hospital to visit my cousin, who had just delivered her baby, to congratulate her. However, when I arrived, she appeared to be in distress. Upon asking the medical staff, I was informed that she had experienced severe postpartum bleeding and required an urgent blood transfusion and referral to a hospital in Srinagar,” said Bilquees, a resident of Kralagund, Kupwara, close to the Line of Control.
Stating that she had given birth to her child just six months earlier then, she said, “I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. Though I was terrified and eventually fainted and woke up only after returning home, my relatives told me that my action had saved my cousin’s life. That realisation was truly overwhelming and unforgettable.” Four months later, she donated blood again—this time to a poor woman who needed an urgent transfusion. “I did not feel weak nor sick after donating blood. Instead, I felt good that my blood has saved precious lives,” said Bilquees.
The turning point in her life came in 2014, which reinforced her faith in the power of blood donation when her son fell gravely ill and was in a coma at a Srinagar hospital for nearly two and a half months. “Doctors had given up, and we were preparing for the worst,” she said.
During that time, another child in the same ward needed A-positive blood, and nobody was coming forward to donate the blood. Bilquees had already donated blood to her own son a day earlier. She ignored the doctor’s concerns and went ahead with the donation again.
“I couldn’t watch another mother lose her child and prayed for both children. I did not even tell my husband at that time,” she said.
“There was a miracle; my son woke up from a coma and regained consciousness. He started responding to the treatment, and two days later he was discharged from the hospital. I felt as if Allah had returned him to me as a reward for helping others,” she said. According to Bilquees, that moment changed everything, and since then, “I have never missed an opportunity to donate blood. I donate blood after every three months.”
Allaying apprehensions about blood donation, she said, that it is not harmful or painful. In fact, blood donation has health benefits.”
Bilquees has been holding regular blood donation and awareness camps across the valley. She recently donated her 41st pint of blood and feels proud and healthy. She serves as Jammu and Kashmir president of Red Drop, an NGO led by Dr Tauseef, which promotes voluntary blood donation.
“I’ve never had any health problems. I regularly check my CBC after every donation, and my levels remain strong. I’ve never needed medication or suffered any illness,” she said, adding that many—especially women—wrongly believe blood donation causes weakness. “It actually purifies the body and supports good health.”
Bilquees said she actively dispels such misconceptions through awareness drives in schools, colleges, and even at mass marriage functions. “During vaccination or census duty as an ASHA worker, I always encourage people to donate blood,” she noted.
She is motivating young women to step forward and help save lives. Her volunteer group now includes nearly 2,000–3,000 donors across the Valley, with around 100 women ready to respond at any time. Bilquees said her husband, a schoolteacher, and her in-laws have always supported her efforts in donating blood and organising camps. “In fact, my husband himself donates blood regularly—his blood group is O positive,” she said.
Recently, we organised a blood donation camp in Langate in Kupwara where over 250 people came forward to donate, she said. “We had to stop after collecting 90 pints because our infrastructure couldn’t handle more. That’s how enthusiastic people showed.”
She has been trying to motivate young girls to participate in community health initiatives. “I always tell unmarried women that they can safely donate blood too. It does not affect fertility or health in any way. The idea that only men should donate is outdated.”
Bilquees’s efforts have earned her numerous awards and recognition from health authorities and NGOs, but she said that she doesn’t do it for awards. “I do it because every drop of blood can mean the difference between life and death for someone. I will continue to donate blood till I am alive,” she asserted.
