Donate blood, save lives: Prabhakar’s mission for change

The Good Samaritan has ensured he encourages his colleagues, friends and family members to donate blood, raising a staggering 24,000 units of blood patients in need.

Hyderabad: On an average, Prabhakar Aedunoothula donates his blood four times a year and in the last two-decades he has done it close to 83 times. In other words, Prabhakar might have potentially saved 83 precious lives!

As if this was not enough, the Good Samaritan has ensured he encourages his colleagues, friends and family members to donate blood, raising a staggering 24,000 units of blood patients in need.

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A few decades ago, Prabhakar came to Hyderabad with dreams of cracking civil services and becoming an IAS officer. While he could not achieve his dream, his motivation to be of service for others drove him to take-up blood donation.

“I always wanted to help people and struggled to help them financially because I am from a humble background. So, I decided to donate my blood and be of some assistance for desperate patients. And then I quickly realized my limitation because healthy individuals can donate blood only four times in a year. Since then, in addition to donating blood personally, I started encouraging others and in the process raised about 24,000 units of blood,” Prabhakar proudly recalls.

The perennial shortage of blood and often instances of commercial exploitation by individuals who indulge in the sale of blood is a great motivator for Prabhakar.

“Soft drinks and tobacco products are promoted in a big way by top actors in India. While there is a concerted effort to promote such harmful products, there is no genuine attempt by institutions or governments to launch a sustainable blood donation campaign all through the year. Governments remember only one-day in a year i.e. June 14, which is World Blood Donor Day, and everybody conveniently forgets,” he says.

In the coming years, Prabhakar wants to keep raising awareness on the importance of blood donation and work closely with thalassemic children. “There is a dire need to raise awareness among people to eradicate thalassemia and it can be achieved,” he says.