Mother pleads fordonors

By LULU MARK
THE enormous need for blood in the hospitals daily cannot be stressed better than a mother Ginoh Bagi, whose son Jeremy needs blood transfusions every five days to survive.
Bagi thanked those that had donated blood during the World Blood Donor Day celebrations hosted by City Pharmacy Limited (CPL) Group and the Health Department’s National Blood Service yesterday.
The day’s theme was “Donating blood is an act of solidarity, join the effort and save lives. “
Her son Jeremy, 7, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and has been admitted at the children’s cancer ward at the Port Moresby General Hospital since November last year.
According to the Mayo Clinic leukemia is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that affects the white blood cells and is the most common childhood cancer and treatment results in a good chance for cure.
Bagi said one day Jeremy was bleeding from the gums and the family thought that it was just another normal bleeding from brushing the teeth but then it became worse so they had to rush him to the hospital.
“He was admitted and after the tests were conducted we were told that he had leukemia,” she said.
“Jeremy was put on chemotherapy but his body was not responding well so it was stopped.
“He is on palliative care so it’s just getting blood after every four to five days.
“That has kept him alive.
“Right now Jeremy is in bed and is in need of blood.
“The more blood you give the more lives you save.
“It’s not only Jeremy who needs blood but there’s others in the ward.
“Since I’ve been in the ward for eight months I’ve seen with my own eyes children losing their lives because of late transfusion.”
Bagi appealed to the public to donate blood as a service to the terminally sick.
She thanked all donors for their efforts.