Visually impaired Emiratis donate blood 120 times

Two visually impaired persons, Khaled Mohammed Qayed, a retired employee of the armed forces, and Ibtisam Ahmed Ali Bozenjal, a teacher of visual disability in the Early Intervention Center in Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, donated blood 120 times in hospitals and blood centres in the country. Khaled reportedly donated 97 times and Ibtisam 23 times. The Blood Research Center of Sharjah nominated Ibtisam for the Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work in 2010. Ibtisam said that she is not interested in winning awards, but in saving life of many patients, because the blood banks in the country need many blood categories to be able to save many lives, in addition to the fact that the body benefits from donating blood, which is replenished as well. Although Khaled suffers from diabetes, which resulted in his loss of sight for years, he donated blood in the Blood Research Center of Sharjah 37 times and was honoured by Dr Salem Al Darmaki, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Dr Amin Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Medical Practices and Licensing, at the seminar of global consultation for blood safety in Dubai in March 2011, in recognition of his efforts to donate blood for patients in need. Khalid said, “Diabetes did not prevent me from blood donation, especially as my category is rare and badly needed.” He confirmed that the blood donation gave him a sense of vigour and vitality. For his part, Dr Al Amiri praised the role of blood donors in helping patients in need. Dr Al Amiri confirmed that the donation of blood does not harm the donor, who is checked by a competent doctor to ensure his safety, under the supervision of a specialised medical team. He added that the body can compensate the donated blood within hours by drinking liquids and the blood cells can be compensated within 3 to 6 weeks.