Forget a dozen of red roses, sparkling jewelleries, or an anonymous admirer, youths in Mizoram have shown the true spirit of love on Valentine’s Day by donating their blood.
A whopping 944 units of blood were donated in Mizoram this Valentine’s Day.
The venue for this year’s Valentine’s Day blood donation camp, the Mizo High School Hall was bustling on Wednesday as the event organizer, the Association for Voluntary Blood Donation (AVBD) were hard pressed by the immense footfall.
A huge pile of red roses was stacked up at the reception counter, with or without a Valentine of your own to give you a red rose, everyone who donated blood were presented one each.
At inauguration function of this year’s Valentine’s Day blood donation event, the only woman minister of the State, Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu who graced the occasion as chief guest thanked the youths of Mizoram for their voluntary act.
“Showing our love by donating blood is a true human valour, I am proud of the Mizo youths, let this be a lesson for the rest of the world,” Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu said.
Mizo youths have been donating blood on Valentine’s Day since 2010, a voluntary movement started by local TV presenter Zikpuii under the banner – Blood For My Valentine.
It was taken up officially by the Mizoram’s chapter of AVBD from 2012, and each successive year, new records are being made!
This year’s Valentine’s Day also, all across Mizoram, AVBD organised blood donation camps in each district capitals.
Aizawl recorded the highest donors with 334 males and 74 females, the second capital Lunglei recorded its own highest blood donation in a day with a total of 144 units on this lover’s day.
“Each year, the number of donor rises, the donation camp is being benefitted by patients in need of blood, though we do not have statistics, we believe that we are saving lives through this blood donation camp. Since its inception, 5696 units of blood are being donated on Valentine’s Day,” K Zothanpara, secretary of the Mizoram chapter of AVBD said.
The blood donation camp was a gala of music in itself, artistes of Music Domain Mizoram enthralled the voluntary donors with their chart topping hits.
The event was no doubt, what the patron saint of Valentine’s Day, St Valentine would have wanted it to be.