MANILA – Members of the SCINTILLA JURIS (SJ) Fraternity and Confraternity, the Astrum Scientis Sorority and the Stella Juris Sorority who recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) are urging the public to join their nationwide blood donation drive to help address the shortage of blood supply during the pandemic.
“We learned first-hand through the medical institutions we’ve been donating to and other official information sources that blood banks around the country are facing a critical shortage of blood supply during this pandemic because potential donors are forced to stay home during the lockdown,” they said.
These members, who have been religiously donating CONVALESCENT PLASMA ever since their recovery to help Covid-19 patients, said they have been compelled to do their part in addressing reported a drastic reduction of donors due to the community quarantine.
“As survivors of Covid-19, we saw the need to take collective action to help,” they added.
Scintilla Juris – Astrum Scientis – Stella Juris (SJ-AS-SJ) is a network of organizations across the country composed mostly of professionals - among them engineers, lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, academicians, and media practitioners. They are the largest fraternity and sorority network of medical students and doctors in the Philippines.
On August 14, as part of its #SJheals campaign, the SJ-AS-SJ network will hold “Blood Sparks for Life” – a bloodletting meant to collect blood from qualified donors in order to somehow mitigate the needed blood supply especially during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Initially conducted as a blood drive only for Quezon City, the cause was picked up and strongly supported by members and chapters all over the country such that it transformed into a national blood drive overnight. By capitalizing on the entire network and strategic geographical placement of its organizations, Blood Sparks for Life became a 14-city event in different areas around the country.
Mike Alvir, a Covid-19 survivor and lead convenor of the project said, “Blood Sparks for Life” will now be held simultaneously nationwide in Tuguegarao City, Baguio, San Fernando City in La Union, Dagupan City, Quezon City, Naga in Camarines Sur, Calatrava in Romblon, Legazpi City, Zarraga in Iloilo Province, Puerto Princesa City, Pagadian City and Guipos in Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City.
The highlight of the nationwide project is the CONVALESCENT PLASMA donation to be held at St. Luke’s - Bonifacio Global City on the same day to help heal Covid-19 patients.
“All fraternity brothers and sorority sisters, relatives, friends, and benevolent supporters are enjoined to participate in this life-saving activity by donating blood, contributing financial support, volunteering professional medical services, or donating in-kind such as food for the volunteers and donors during the day of the blood donation day. GIVE BLOOD, SPARK A LIFE, ” Alvir added.
Led by the SJ-AS-SJ Network, this project is in partnership with the Department of Health, the Philippine Red Cross, various private institutions, and the LGUs in the various respective locations.
For details regarding “Blood Sparks for Life” and how to participate, the network can be reached through their Facebook page @BloodSparksforLife or through email [email protected] or contact Mike Alvir at 09236735895. (PR)
