Month long drive from August 15 to celebrate India’s 75th Independence Day
To celebrate India’s 75th Independence Day, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is launching a month long blood donation and stem cell drive in 75 cities in the US from August 15.
The launch of the drive with Bitcare to celebrate “the 75th Independence Day of India, the nation which has made us to be what we are today” was announced Sunday by AAPI president Anupama Gotimukula.
A major initiative of Dr. Gotimukula-led new executive team which assumed charge of AAPI on July 4 during the AAPI Convention in Atlanta, the blood donation campaign and free antibody testing, is in response to the national need for blood, especially as the Covid pandemic ravages the world, according to an AAPI media release.
Read: AAPI helps elevate the voice of Indian Americans everywhere: Dr. Anupama Gotimukula (July 5, 2021)
“As we all know our blood banks are deprived of products and another wave of Covid is rapidly increasing,” said Dr. Gotimukula, who has vowed to make AAPI a premium healthcare leader.
“It’s a humble and a noble initiative by AAPI to help save lives,” she said asking those interested to take the lead in their town and help in the blood donation drive to let AAPI know.
The drive by the largest ethnic organization in the US, representing nearly 100,000 physicians and fellows of Indian origin in the US, would begin with a launch event in Chicago on Aug. 7, Meher Medavram, chair of AAPI’s blood donation initiative said.
“As the pandemic has exhausted all the resources, especially the lifesaving and much needed blood across the nation and the world, AAPI is in the forefront, once again, spreading the message for the need to donate blood and save lives,” said Dr. Kusum Punjabi the chair of board of trustees of AAPI.
Dr. Ravi Kolli, president-elect of AAPI, urged “potential blood donors to donate blood to help ensure lifesaving blood products are available for patients. Your donation is needed now to prevent delays in patient care. Help overcome the severe blood shortage!”
“Every two seconds someone in the US needs blood. It is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries,” said AAPI vice president Dr. Anjana Samadder, citing Red Cross.
Read: Anupama Gotimukula vows to make AAPI a premium healthcare leader (July 2, 2021)
“Whether a patient receives whole blood, red cells, platelets or plasma, this lifesaving care starts with one person making a generous donation,” added Samadder, who herself has experienced the ordeal with Covid -19.
“It is very difficult to find a matched stem cell donor for Southeast Asians should they need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant and this drive will help increase the number of potential donors,” said Dr. AAPI Secretary Satheesh Kathula.
Those interested in organizing blood donation drive in their city/town/region, may contact: Vijaya Kodali, AAPI office manager at: vkodali@aapiusa.org.