By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean

Mangalore:  To celebrate the 52 birthday of  Odiyoor Sri Gurudevananda Swamiji, his devotees held a day long blood donation camp with the theme "Donate blood, Save life", at Wenlock Hospital, Children's ward, here on July 18.

Odiyoor Sri Gurudevananda Swamiji inaugurated the blood donation camp by lighting the traditional lamp. Addressing the gathering Odiyoor Swamiji said that donating blood is the work of God. God always blesses the ones who donate blood and save lives. Reciting the Sloka from Bhagavad Gita Swamiji said, "In this world, there are also the deaf, dumb and the lame. God loves and blesses them to lead their daily life".  God also blesses abundantly the ones who donate blood and also those who take care of the needy. There is no other substitute for blood in comparison, blood is compared to itself. 

Further he stated that the world has become modern. Though we have all types of modern technology to produce almost anything in this world, man has failed to find out any blood producing technology. The only way to get blood for human beings is to donate it and not to produce it.  He also said that by donating blood one can save himself from heart diseases.

Director of Sri Devi Education Trust Myna,  speaking on the occasion said that blood Donation is a voluntary service when a person either voluntarily or during an emergency donate their blood to save someone's life. Blood Donation is one of the precious donations that one could do in life. Do something amazing in your life, by giving blood. And remember, your blood is always special and will surely help save numerous lives. You can contact Wenlock Hospital for more details as to how you can be a blood donor.

District Surgeon and Superintendent of Wenlock Hospital, Dr P Saroja,  and President Gurudeva Seva Balaga, Mangalore Jayanth J Kotian also spoke on the occasion.  126 units of blood were collected in the morning.