In a quiet corner of a bustling government hospital, a digital monitor chirps rhythmically, a sound that usually fades into the background. But for Sister Jen, it’s the sound of a ticking clock. Having lost a significant amount of blood during her delivery, her life is currently hanging on a thin, plastic tube connected to a bag of deep red fluid. That fluid wasn’t manufactured in a lab or synthesized by a machine. It was grown inside a human being, carried through their veins, and then selflessly given away.
Blood is the ultimate biological paradox: it is incredibly common, yet impossible to replicate. Despite our leaps in medical technology, there is no synthetic substitute for human blood. Every drop used in surgeries, in cancer treatments, inside the delivery room and emergency room must come from a human person willing to share his blood. A single donation can be separated into its components—red cells, plasma, and platelets—potentially saving up to three lives. For the donors, the process is a minor detour in their day. It’s an hour spent in a bed or reclining chair, a small pinch, and perhaps a complimentary key chain or juice box. They walk out the door and go back to their work, their families, their coffee, their emails, or their commute. But for the recipient, that hour is a lifetime.
Having been through the dreadful period of the Covid Pandemic where desperate pleas for blood transfusion among our confined brethren were met with helplessness, the medical doctors of Couples for Christ East B made voluntary blood donation a priority project once the nationwide lockdown was lifted. So, in August 14, 2022, with face masks on and social distancing in mind, a sector-wide blood donation drive was carried out in partnership with the Philippine Blood Center. Out of the 140 courageous CFC participants screened, 72 were successfully bled. The following year, a decline in the number of participants (93) and successful blood donors (43) was noted. This prompted the ANCOP Health team of doctors to carry out the subsequent bloodletting drives biannually, with each event simultaneously being conducted in 2 to 3 different locations, each being facilitated by one of our three partner blood agencies, namely, the Philippine Blood Center, and the Philippine Red Cross- Marikina and Rizal chapters. This modification allowed a greater reach for more blood donors living in the far-flung areas of the sector such as those in upper Antipolo, Cogeo, as well as Montalban and San Mateo, Rizal. In addition, an online ANCOP Health Talk scheduled a few weeks prior to the bloodletting event provided a very good medium in educating our community members about relevant health issues while promoting the blood donation campaign. With our distinguished physician couple, Bro. Doc Elmer Garcia and Sis. Doc Marivic Garcia, acting as moderators of the talks, esteemed medical specialists were invited to discuss health concerns such as hypertension, diabetes, dementia, renal failure and the like. After the discussion, a question and answer session usually followed, which allowed the viewers to clarify their queries with the speaker. A consultant hematologist, Dr. Jong Bravo, graced each ANCOP health talk Q&A portion to enlighten the listeners regarding their issues in donating blood.
“A blood donor is a hero who doesn’t wear a cape, just a small bandage on their arm for a few hours.”
With the blood allotment from our partner blood agencies constantly being replenished by our bloodletting events twice a year (March and August), the sector has been able to raise hundreds of blood units that provided remarkable help not only to the families of our members but to the other patients seeking the help of our partner blood agencies in dire need inside hospitals. And because of this worthwhile endeavor, the CFC East B – ANCOP Health has been awarded by the Department of Health-Philippine Blood Center with the prestigious DUGONG BAYANI – Gawad Gabriela Silang Recognition in 2024.
Indeed, donating blood is one of the few ways we can truly give a part of ourselves to a stranger. It is an act of radical empathy—an acknowledgment that we are all part of the same human family, sharing the same vital spark. For Sis Jen, that bag of blood meant her heart kept beating long enough for the obstetrician to finish her work. It meant she would wake up to see her baby and cradle him lovingly on her arms. It meant a future that, just hours prior, was fading into gray. Next time you see a blood drive sign or a donation center, remember Sis Jen. Remember that while you may never meet the person your blood saves, you are the reason their story gets to continue.
Written by:
Rosario M. Salonga, MD
MM CFC East B – ANCOP Health Team Coordinator