BIS Mumbai
BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 3469
BLOOD DONATION CAMP AT DBP BARODA FOR GOOD FRIDAY
By Fr. Kenneth Pereira
BARODA-GUJARAT, APRIL 02, 2013: The idea caught my fancy some months ago when a certain priest said to me: "For the past so many years I 
have made it a habit to donate blood on Good Friday. After all, Jesus gave his blood to save me. So I too can give my blood to save someone else's life!"
And so, some weeks ago, an announcement has been made in church at every Sunday Mass: "Jesus shed his blood for you. Are you willing to give your blood for another? Sign up for a blood donation camp on Palm Sunday!" (Good Friday would have been more appropriate, but for practical reasons, we decided to have the blood donation drive on Palm Sunday instead.) The response was very encouraging. Seventy five persons volunteered to donate their blood. Mr. E. A. Vargheese, a parish councilor, took the responsibility of making the practical arrangements for the event.
And so on Palm Sunday (24 March 2013, a professional team of doctors and attendants from Shri Sayajirao General Hospital Baroda came with their 
equipment to conduct the blood donation camp. There was an atmosphere of excitement as many of our parishioners awaited their turn outside the school AV hall after Mass, to donate their blood.
After preliminary tests, only forty one of them were accepted. They lay down (in turn) on six beds side by side, to donate blood under the supervision of trained doctors. They were all treated thereafter to biscuits and hot coffee prepared by Mr Kuriachan, another parish councillor. The SSG hospital staff were all in awe of the wonderful spirit with which young and old came forward to patronize this noble cause.
Many parishioners remarked that this has been a good venture, and ought to become an annual feature of our parish every Palm Sunday. Let's hope it does!