These coins had been collected over some time by my husband who simply dropped the coins he found in the car, in his pockets and around the house into a tin can. When it got full, he handed the can over to me and said that it could be used for Sanman.  This picture emerged as I counted the coins and to me it had tremendous pedagogical potential. As a mathematics teacher, I could use it to teach topics across primary school: sorting, counting, data handling, arithmetical operations such as addition and multiplication. A little later I could teach measurement, weight and proportion. If I were a history teacher, this picture would help me teach Indian history with all the emblems and symbols on the coins. And if I taught economics, the changing weight and size of the coins, the phasing out of certain coins, all these could speak volumes on the concept of inflation and the value of money. These were the ideas that occurred to me, using this as a stimulus in a teacher training workshop would surely spark off a dozen more!

Moving from the pedagogical to the practical, I asked Amar bhai from the small store across my house if he would like to exchange these coins for notes. When he agreed readily, I took it across and came back with a cool one thousand rupees (I had to reserve a few coins for the next collection). I also realised that the small stores did not accept ten rupee coins and that I would have to go to the bank to exchange these.

What can a thousand rupees do for Sanman? Here is a list of possibilities.

I could get a Bangalore Kidney Foundation dialysis token for ₹ 750/-. Sanman supports the dialysis of four women patients every month. These women come from financially weak families and are often left destitute when they are diagnosed with kidney problems. They need dialysis thrice a week: @₹750, that works out to more than 10000 a month if you add commute costs, medicines and blood injections.

A thousand rupees could buy 3 units of Random Donor Platelet blood. Excessive bleeding by our leukaemia patients (often little children), sees parents and caregivers scrambling around for donors and money at times of emergency. How wonderful if we can save lives with just a thousand rupees.

A thousand rupees can fund 3 chemo port needles for our paediatric patients. These needles once inserted can be used to deliver chemotherapy without the pain of repeated insertions.

A little over thousand rupees can buy a bone marrow transplant needle (about ₹1320/-). Patients on treatment need to have their bone marrow tested frequently. Imagine if the pain of extraction is compounded with the pain of repeatedly finding non-existent funds for the needles.

A thousand rupees can keep an ageing patient on blood pressure and diabetic medicines for a month.

A thousand rupees can buy good nutrition for a patient on chemotherapy, we have seen patients unable to recover because the chemotherapy is of no use to a starving patient.

Isn’t this a grand idea? I’m in for the count!!

• – By Sneha titus a Sanman Volunteer

Through Sanman, I was also able to organize a Blood Donation Camp in my local community with the partnership of Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore where we collected 51 units of blood for the Pediatric Oncology Department. Also, I was further able to refer other patients who were in need of cancer treatment. Looking back at these four months, I feel blessed to have been part of these social ventures. One gets to meet the most sincere, warm and giving people through these organizations. Truly, this work we get to do is never by us, but only through us. This experience has further imbibed in me the spirit of service which I hope will guide the work I wish to do. I will always be grateful to Sanman and the Indian Cancer Society, Bangalore as my stepping stones.

Dr.Radhika Kulkarni, MBBS.

Bangalore.

radhika.bk23@gmail.com

Cancer treatment is often quite depressing. Patients encounter enormous physical and mental pain, social stigma and at times, they leave treatment midway due to various reasons including financial constraints.

This is where volunteers come in and try to give moral, psychological and even financial support and encourage patients to cooperate with doctors and complete their treatment.

In addition, I felt that I gain both mentally and spiritually, as I feel connected to my creator, the Lord Almighty. It humbles me and I get great mental satisfaction that the Almighty uses me to help and serve humanity – his creations.

We also learn to engage with other individuals and create a one-on-one rapport with each other

According to World Health Organisation, in countries like India, about 65% of the total blood transfusions are directed at children below the age of five.

This blood serves the needs of children who are diagnosed with cancer, HIV/AIDS or are victims of accidents, blood loss or any such factor.

There are eight kinds of Cancer most common in children. The leading kinds are Leukaemia and Brain and other Central Nervous Tumours. The blood requirements for these children vary.

 Whole Blood, in itself, is divided into Red Blood Cells, Fresh Frozen Plasma, Platelets and Cryoprecipitate. White Blood cells and their complex classifications also form a part of Whole Blood.

Of this Whole Blood, children diagnosed with cancer require Platelets as their platelet count often drops below the recommended minimum.

Platelets are hence divided into Random Donor Platelet (RDP) and Single Donor Platelet (SDP). The distinction is based on the method of donation.

SDP is derived through a lengthy process from a very healthy donor whose veins are prominent. One can donate SDP once every 14 days. It directly collects Platelets from the donor’s body.

RDP is derived from Whole Blood when one donates blood normally. All blood components are collected from the donor. About 450 millilitre of blood is collected at a time. One can donate only four times a year with a gap of 3 months between each donation.

At Kidwai, RDP is used extensively for children.

However, RDP is not collected separately but is segregated from Whole Blood that the donor donates. This process takes an entire day.

Mr. Chandy, a veteran volunteer said, “This is why you cannot donate platelets immediately. If donors donate regularly, platelets will be available when needed.” True to his word, regular donation is the need of the moment. Donors who donate regularly ensure t a consistent supply of platelets.

The significance of platelets in the treatment of children diagnosed with cancer cannot be ignored. Often, the platelet count of children who undergo chemotherapy falls way below the required minimum to a mere 20,000. At this point, children experience bleeding from the nose and can enter a comatose state if platelets are not supplied when needed.

Regular donation is hence, encouraged. Donating blood will take only about an hour or two of your time, prepping and after-donation procedures considered. Further, the whole process is absolutely safe for the donor and the recipient. Requirements for whole blood donations are relatively simpler and one is eligible if he or she is between the age range of 18 to 60, is above 45 kg and has a haemoglobin level of 12.5mg/Deci-Litre at the time of donation. Further requirements will be discussed by the technicians.

Further, if one can arrange about 50 donors at any school, college, organisation or colony in Bangalore, the Kidwai Blood Bank will send their van with a doctor and at least two technicians for the Camp.

It’s an easy feat if one puts his mind to it. Ultimately, it saves life.

– By Elishia Sabrina Vaz, Sanman Volunteer and Journalism Student