LOOKING dapper in their blue uniforms and orange berets, a group of Civil Defence Emergency Response Team (CDERT) of the Sungai Pinang Village Community Management Council (MPKK) will be organising a blood donation campaign soon.
The campaign, which will be launched by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, will be held on Oct 4 at Bandar Sri Pinang basketball court in Jelutong from 9am.
Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim, who oversees the programme, said the campaign is to help aid the Penang Hospital blood bank unit.
“This CDERT team comes under my constituency. We hope to receive a good response from the public as blood donation is a noble initiative which can save lives of accident victims, leukaemia patients, heart patients and others.
“This blood donation campaign will also be held in conjunction with our recently celebrated Malaysia Day,” Lim said during a press conference at her service centre in Sungai Pinang today.
CDERT is a registered unit under the Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM).
The CDERT under Sungai Pinang MPKK, which was officially formed in September 2019, will have a new office near the Bandar Sri Pinang basketball court on the same day as the blood donation campaign. It currently has 27 members.
Present during the press conference was Penang Hospital blood bank unit assistant information officer Marshita Othman, who wholeheartedly thanked CDERT, Sungai Pinang MPKK and APM for showing great support through this initiative.
“Ever since the movement control order (MCO) was introduced in March, the hospital saw a drop in blood donation. But slowly, we have been able to recover with various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals coming forward to donate blood.
“During the pandemic, my team and I have been regularly organising blood donation campaigns in various premises such as malls, government buildings and so on. We hope to do more for future storage,” Marshita added.
She also said the hospital requires at least 60 to 70 bags of blood a day.
“For those are fearful about donating blood or just the sight of it can cause drowsiness, vomiting or even faint, please be mindful that when you donate blood and tend to face these situations, it is only for the moment.
“Meanwhile, for those who need it, it’s going to bring them new life. Donate blood and save a life and be a hero in someone’s life,” Marshita added.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Alvie Cheng