Church Launches Blood-Donation Campaign

Posted: 27th February 2008

Young people at the Child Jesus Boeung Tumpun Parish

PHNOM PENH (UCAN) -- People who gave blood at the first in a series of blood-donation events organized by Phnom Penh apostolic vicariate said they were happy to be able to help save lives.

Sorn Muny, 29, one of a few dozen people who lined up at Child Jesus Church in Boeung Tumpun on Feb. 17 morning, lauded the Church initiative to help people in general. Speaking to UCA News after donating blood, he said: "I'm very happy and feeling well. It is the first time I'm doing this."

Muny added that he was delighted to see many Catholics taking part in the activity organized by the vicariate's Pastoral Health Committee.

Committee president Paola Maiocchi explained to UCA News that as people have received gifts freely from God, "so we have to help" each other. The Italian lay missioner added that "serving the sick" is not a role reserved only for doctors but something everyone can do.

Her committee has decided to schedule blood donations three times a year, every four months, at the Boeung Tumpun parish as well as at St. Joseph Church in Phsar Thoich. The first at Child Jesus attracted 31 donors.

One of them, Chorn Chomren, 22, a student, told UCA News the campaign allows people to show their love and concern for those in need. "I am glad to give my blood" if it means being able to save a life, she said.

Even foreigners took part at Child Jesus Church.

Lucia Wong, a lay missioner from Hong Kong, told UCA News as she rested after giving blood: "This is my third time donating blood in Cambodia since I have been here. I am very happy to see this initiative, because it illustrates our love for others just as God loves us."

Jesuit Father Ashley John Evans, while awaiting his turn to donate, said he was glad to see young people participating. He added his hope that the initiative would help the relationship between the Church and government to get "better and better."

Ou Soklang, a blood transfusion worker at the Cambodia Red Cross, also works closely with the National Blood Transfusion Center. He told UCA News that in 2007, the center managed to reach only 16 percent of its blood donation target. This was partly due to the increase in the number of people suffering from dengue fever, which disqualified them from donating blood, he explained.

As a result, Soklang continued, relatives of patients started paying others to donate blood, leading to rumors that hospitals were selling blood. The health worker insisted these rumors were false. He thanked the Catholic Church for its blood-donation drive and for helping poor people in the country.

Article Source: ucan