Strengthening the bonds of (donated) blood

It is said that donating blood is a selfless act that can change someone's world for the better.

Taking cue from this noble thought, the New Zealand Telugu Association (NZTA) has organised a blood donation camp on Thursday (February 9) at the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBLOOD) in Epsom (71 Great South Road, Epsom, Auckland 1051).

Suneel Kuncha, President of NZTA, who himself donated blood, said, "The Blood donation drive on February 9 was a successful event. It created more awareness about the need for blood donation, and I could sense that more people are willing to blood in the near future. NZTA is thankful for the people who took the time to come out and participate in our blood donation drive. As a community organisation, we have been regularly organising blood donation camps for more than 12-13 years and endeavour to continue to do the same as a way to give back to our community.”

The event saw many NZTA members and volunteers donating their blood.

Kuncha revealed that many Telugu community members could not donate blood this year as they went overseas after the Covid-19 lockdown was lifted and were ineligible to donate blood for six months upon returning from India, as per the standard practice by NZ Blood. "We have plans to organise one more blood donation campaign in the second part of this year. Please donate blood and save lives. It's the most precious priceless gift one can ever make," says Kuncha.

NZTA, established in 1998, is an organisation serving the Telugu community in NZ. It aims to preserve its cultural heritage, create a sense of community, and provide support and resources for its members. The organisation also provides a platform for community members to network, socialise, and engage in cultural activities.

The donors, too, seemed excited and positive about being part of the camp.

Sheetal Allam, a known face of the community who was one of the donors at the event, said, "This is my tenth time donating blood. Blood donation is a simple act of humanity that can make a huge difference in someone's life. I felt humbled to be a part of today's blood donation drive. I thought blood donation was my way of doing my bit for society. I want to urge more and more community people to come forward and support such initiatives as every donation makes a difference."

Another donor, Supreet, shared the same sentiment and said, “I believe blood donation is a simple yet powerful way to make a difference in someone's life. My message to everyone would be that drop of blood can save a life. Be a hero; donate today. It can make a difference."