The UMOJA panelists, left to right: Mr Carl Armstrong, Medical Technologist, BVIHSA Peebles Hospital; Mr Cromwell Smith "Ed Ju Enka", UMOJA, Host; Mrs Astrid Wenzke, Public Relations Officer, BVI Red Cross; Mrs Carla Brown, Programme Officer, University of the West Indies Open Campus. Photo: UWI

Representatives from three of the partnering organizations within the territory to educate the public and build the BVI’s blood donor registry spoke to the observance of World Blood Donor Day, normally observed on June 14, as well as the UWI’s Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Blood Drive.

Red Cross’, Astrid Wenzke; Peebles Hospital Lab’s, Carl Armstrong; and University of the West Indies Open Campus’, Carla Brown, were guests, on the local ZBVI Talk Show.  The guests fielded several questions from hosts, Cromwell “Ed Ju Enka” Smith and Natalio “Sowande Uhuru” Wheatley on issues concerning blood donation such as various blood types, how to donate; its benefits, and the critical need for new donors in the Territory.

World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on 14 June every year, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products as well as to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. With the World Health Organization’s slogan "Give the gift of life: donate blood", this year’s campaign, the 10th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day, will focus on the value of donated blood to the patient, not only in saving life, but also in helping people live longer and more productive lives.

This first radio education talk show on UMOJA, also kicked off an initiative of the UWI’s annual Sir Frank Worrell, Memorial Blood Donor Drive.

Background:

Sir Frank Worrell was a West Indies cricketer and Jamaican senator. He became famous in the 1950s as the first black captain of the West Indies cricket team, and is the only batsman to have been involved in two 500-run partnerships in first-class cricket.

On 3 February 1962, during a practice match against Barbados, Nari Contractor, the captain of the touring Indian team, received a career-ending head injury from a bouncer bowled by West Indies fast bowler Charlie Griffith. Sir Frank was the first player from both sides to donate blood to the injured Contractor, which saved his life. Up until the time of Sir Frank’s untimely death at age 42, he was an avid advocate of blood donorship with an innate humanitarian spirit.

In remembrance of this act, the Cricket Association of Bengal organizes a blood donation drive on this day every year and the day is commemorated as Sir Frank Worrell Day in the state of West Bengal in India.

In 2009, the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Committee, which was founded in 2007 to mark the 40th Anniversary of his death, began the Memorial Blood Drive in his honour, in Trinidad and Tobago.  It’s inauguration was given by the 74-year old Contractor; the cricketer whose life, Sir Frank was instrumental in saving.

Presently, every year, UWI Mona, Cave Hill and St. Augustine host Sir Frank Worrell Blood Drives.

In 2010, the UWI Open Campus was asked by the Committee to host the Drive each year in a different island.  Antigua hosted the drive in 2010, St. Kitts in 2011 and Dominica in 2012. This year the British Virgin Islands is the country responsible for making its contribution to Blood Donor Registration Drive in Sir Frank’s honour on behalf of the Open Campus by partnering with both Government and Non-Governmental Organizations to heighten public awareness as well as build the Territory’s blood donor registry.

According to the World Health Organization “There is a constant need for regular blood supply because blood can be stored for only a limited time before use. Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people is needed to ensure that safe blood will be available whenever and wherever it is needed”.

“Blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets and plasma — which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions”.

The public awareness drive will continue with a Poster Campaign as well as the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Blood Donor Registration Drive scheduled for September 13, 2013, at a venue to be announced.