Martins Ikhade Affah is a blood donor and Patron of Federal Medical Centre, Blood Donation Club, Abuja. He believes that donating blood in time saves life and said the act of donating blood is a form of humanitarianism because it saves live.
Tell us what’s Blood Donation?
It simply means giving blood to save a Life. Blood is one of the most precious gifts that anyone can give to another person. A decision to donate your blood can save a life and give someone a second shot at life. Blood donation is a very impactful way to support people with health challenges. It is a vital part of worldwide healthcare. It is a life-sustaining and life-saving procedure as well as a form of therapeutic phlebotomy as a primary medical intervention.
According to U.S. National Health Care Issues (NIH), over one hundred million units of blood are donated each year throughout the world.
What’s your motivation?
MY INSPIRATION I got inspired to donate blood by Cristiano Ronaldo who happens to be one of the most successful footballers in history.
Ronaldo first decided to donate blood when one of his Portuguese teammates, Carlos Martins’ son was diagnosed with a very rare type of blood disease; leukemia in 2011.
For Ronaldo, this has been the sole motivation for blood donation, a practice he continues to keep to save lives. He regularly donates blood at a clinic in his home country of Portugal. He has refrained from scarring his body with tattoos or needles which could prevent him from donating blood as these needles or tattoo ink may cause infections in the patient; thereby making him unable to donate as he wishes. Ronaldo continues to promote blood donation across his social media handles.
What Has Been Your Experience?
MY EXPERIENCE
This inspired me to deliberately donate blood every three to four months in a hospital. Donating blood every quarter no matter how tight my schedule is, I make plans by calling or visiting the hospital to make enquiries about any patient who needs of blood and cannot afford it due to financial constrictions or special health concerns that requires a patient needing fresh blood. My hospitals of choice are often Garki Hospital or Federal Medical Center, Jabi, both in Abuja because they are public hospitals mostly used by low income earning patients who cannot afford the bills of private hospitals.
On the 3rd of November 2021 which was my birthday: an unforgettable experience, I went into the Hospital to make an inquiry of any patient in need of blood and they positively identified a patient who had kidney disease and was urgently in need of blood, in his case he could afford to buy but his doctors advise was for him to get fresh blood not already banked blood because of the seriousness of his case. Immediately I asked them to do all the necessary check-ups that will enable me go in for the blood transfusion and it was successfully done.
The patient in question said I looked familiar. I was surprised as I could not recognize him probably due to the fact that he was very ill. I asked him to kindly remind me of how or where we met. He then told me that he was the husband of a former colleague who was an expatriate staff when I worked with Julius Berger. He further added that he used to come pick up his wife who worked in a unit under my department. I was dumbfounded realizing I was saving an ex-colleague’s husband who needed the transfusion. This experience stood out for me and also became a strong motivation to continue being a blood donor. We never know who we’re saving when we donate blood to people in need of it. I would love to encourage someone out there who is healthy and has all it takes to be a blood donor. Do not relent. Go to the Hospital and save a life. It’s not time wasted, it is Life-Saving.
On the 21st of May 2024, while I was on a business trip in the United States, I got an email from the Federal Medical Centre Abuja appointing me (Martins Ikhade Affah) as the Patron of the Federal Medical Centre Abuja Blood Donation Club. This position I graciously accepted and we continue to advocate and encourage every healthy human being to bring out the humanity in the world and donate blood to save Lives.
What is your advice to someone who wants to donate blood?
Ensure you eat and live healthily, go for proper and regular check-ups at the Hospital to find out if you are eligible to be a blood donor, doctors recommend donating every three months. Regular blood donation by a sufficient number of healthy people is needed to ensure that blood will always be available whenever and wherever needed. This is a sure way to create happiness for others in need.
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