Tzu Chi Foundation was one of the eight Blood Mobile Organizers to receive the Gold Award in the ceremony jointly organized by Health Science Authority (HSA) and the Singapore Red Cross (SRC). Picture: Medical cadre Khoo Kean Yee receiving the Gold Award trophy on behalf of Tzu Chi Foundation from Health Minister and Guest of Honour Mr Khaw Boon Wan. [Photo: Law Sook Fong]

Volunteers are on hand to comfort the donors at the drives. [Photo: Pua Poo Toong]

A plaque and a certificate were presented to Tzu Chi Singapore to acknowledge its efforts in collecting 1295 units of blood in 2008. [Photo: Law Sook Fong]

Ms. Cecilia Tan, Director of SRC’s Blood Donor Recruitment Programme, commended the mobility of Tzu Chi volunteers around the island. [Photo: Law Sook Fong]

There was an unusual crowd in Jurong Bird Park, one of Singapore’s famous tourist attractions, on 13 June 2009. Many of the visitors were spotted wearing a red cap that has the blood drive mascot “Blood Buddy” on it.

These blood donors and their families were there to attend the Champion Blood Donor Recognition Ceremony jointly organized by the Health Science Authority (HSA) and the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) in celebration of the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD).

WBDD is celebrated annually to thank blood donors as well as to create wider awareness of the importance of blood donation and the need for safe blood. In Singapore, Blood Mobile Organizers (BMOs) and individuals alike are commended in the Champion Blood Donor Recognition Ceremony for their spirit of giving. This year, Jurong Bird Park celebrated the occasion by sponsoring the venue for this event.


Award recognition

Among the eight BMO Gold Award winners this year, Tzu Chi Singapore was ranked fifth.  The Foundation, with other seven champion organizers, had each raised more than 500 units for the Bloodbank@HSA in 2008. In other words, more than 150 units were collected in each of the quarterly donation drive. 

This is the 7th consecutive year Tzu Chi Singapore is receiving commendation from the SRC since 2004.

Quoting the WBDD 2009 theme “100% Voluntary Non-remunerated Donation of Blood and Blood Components”, Mr. Tee Tua Ba, Chairman of the SRC, said in his speech, “Thanks to all our regular blood donors who involved themselves in this life-saving mission. For every pint of blood you donated, you have done a fair share of social responsibility in helping people you don’t know.”

When Mr. Karthick Rmakrishnan Karthigayan was serving his national service in Taiwan in 2006, a plane crash landed on his camp and half of the man’s skin was severely burned in the raging flames. When he was transferred back to Singapore for treatment, Mr. Karthick was given major plasma transfusion to speed up his wound closure before he was treated with 13 skin grafting sessions. He said to the audience in gratitude, “I’m able to lead a normal life now because blood donors gave their bloods regularly.” This man is now an active volunteer with the SRC which enjoys talking to the public, urging them to give blood.

Community blood drive to go

Besides holding blood donation drives, Tzu Chi Singapore had also mobilized its volunteers onto the street to publicize the event and clear people’s misconception about blood donation.

At the recognition ceremony, Brother Khoo Kean Yee represented Tzu Chi Singapore to receive the Gold Award from Health Minister and Guest of Honour Mr Khaw Boon Wan. The award was an accreditation to the Foundation for achieving a total of 1,295 units of blood during the quarterly mobile blood donation drive in 2008, twice the figure two years ago.

Tzu Chi Singapore hosted its first blood-giving event in June 2003 at its old premise in Chinatown. The blood drive continued in the new premise following the Foundation’s relocation to Pasir Ris in October 2005. Starting from 2007, volunteers from respective communities take turns helming this quarterly event. On September the same year, the event was expanded to Jurong Medical Centre (JMC) in Boon Lay besides its usual venue in the Foundation’s branch.

Brother Khoo credited Tzu Chi’s achievements to the community-based volunteer network. “We have seen many volunteer cadres taking up committee roles after the respective communities took turns in hosting blood drives. It was difficult to appoint main coordinator for certain activities in the past but now we’ve seen some positive results and everything became much easier.” It is now easier to enlist new members and easier to get in contact with grassroots leaders to introduce to them about the Foundation. In addition, these improvements have pushed forward much of the community works as well.    

Adjustment in cooperation

The SRC, with exactly just enough blood supply to meet hospital demands and facing manpower shortage on weekend drives, is looking into adjusting its operating modes: to hold blood donation drive in certain neighborhood communities on weekdays with collaboration from Tzu Chi Singapore. Ms. Cecilia Tan, Director of SRC’s Blood Donor Recruitment Programme, explained that the Tzu Chi’s volunteer force is not only dynamic in the city area but also in other places. Therefore the SRC hoped to engage such mobility to help them reach more places and more people.     

“Tzu Chi has been a great help to the SRC for the past four or five years. Their zealous volunteers are always on hand to comfort our blood donors, which I feel is a warm repayment for the blood donors’ giving and an affection that will pass on to blood recipients.”