New Telegraph

World Leukemia Day: Foundation advocates blood donation to save lives

 

In order to meet the blood needs of patients, especially people suffering from Leukemia, the Timilehin Leukemia Foundation has urged more Nigerians to donate blood to save lives.

The founder of Timilehin Leukemia Foundation Mrs Janet Modupe Oyedele who made the call yesterday, said persistent loss of blood was a major health challenge among Leukemia patients; hence the call for blood donation that would pave the way for easy blood replacement.

She spoke on the occasion of World Leukemia Day, a yearly global campaign marked every September 4.

The campaign started by Leukemia Care in collaboration with patient groups across the globe to help raise awareness about leukemia and how to improve the quality of lives of persons living with the condition.

To mark the occasion this year, the Timilehin Leukemia Foundation rallied participants who embarked on a walk from Textile Labour House along Acme Road Ikeja, through Agidingbi, Awolowo Way to the Alausa Secretariat and back to Acme Road.

During the walk participants distributed Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials to pedestrians. Some of the information displayed during the walk red: ‘Support Timilehin Leukemia Foundation’, ‘ ‘Let’s Give Priority To Healthcare’, ‘ Equip Our Hospitals’, among others.

Leukemia, which is cancer of the blood can affect anybody, whether rich, poor, young or old. In a country that has no world class medical facilities, the effect of COVID-19 on leukemia patients is enormous.

According to her, attention is now is on COVID-19 with daily updates at the expense of other diseases like cancer, malaria, among others. “As a result of this neglect, many leukemia patients have died.

Speaking at the event yesterday, Oyedele who lost his only son to leukaemia, said, “A pint of blood costs about N20,000. A leukemia patient needs four to five pints of blood in a day. So, how will that patient cope with as well as get needed chemotherapy.

“Also, when the leukaemia patients get infection the chemotherapy treatment will stop. The Fellow will have to be taking blood and platelets.”

However, against this background, the founder of Timilehin Leukemia Foundation urged both urged governments to key into blood donation drive as a strategy to get blood banks full of needed blood.

Federal and state governments to key into blood donation drive as a strategy to get blood banks full of needed blood.

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