Drops of courage: One donation saves lives

Bilquees Ara, a social health activist from north Kashmir, is on a mission to break myths around blood donation, inspiring thousand others to donate regularly, Fayaz Wani reports

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A mother of three and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker in the J&K Health Department, Bilquees Ara, 34, has set an extraordinary example of social service and compassion. She is on a “Mission of Hope” to save precious lives by donating blood—41 times in the last 13 years—inspiring others to shatter the myths associated with it.

A journey that began on June 23, 2012, started when a frightened Bilquees donated one pint of blood to her cousin at the Srinagar hospital.

“I went to the hospital to visit my cousin, who had just delivered her baby, to congratulate her. However, when I arrived, she appeared to be in distress. Upon asking the medical staff, I was informed that she had experienced severe postpartum bleeding and required an urgent blood transfusion and referral to a hospital in Srinagar,” said Bilquees, a resident of Kralagund, Kupwara, close to the Line of Control.

Stating that she had given birth to her child just six months earlier then, she said, “I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. Though I was terrified and eventually fainted and woke up only after returning home, my relatives told me that my action had saved my cousin’s life. That realisation was truly overwhelming and unforgettable.” Four months later, she donated blood again—this time to a poor woman who needed an urgent transfusion. “I did not feel weak nor sick after donating blood. Instead, I felt good that my blood has saved precious lives,” said Bilquees.