Syria’s top blood donor: Proud that my blood courses through Syrian soldiers’ veins

Homs, (SANA) Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The event raises awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

Syria has been commemorating the event for over three years of war against terrorism, with Syrians vying to organize blood-donation campaigns through individual and societal initiatives to donate blood, as a token of allegiance and love, to the Syrian army’s personnel.

Ali Sulaiman, a 54 year old citizen from Homs, has so far donated his blood 60 times since the crisis flared up in Syria, earning him the title of Syria’s “top blood donor.”

Beaming, Sulaiman tells SANA he is proud to have his blood mingling with that of the Syrian army soldiers “who have been sacrificing their own [blood] for our dignity.”

On almost a daily basis, the Syrian people organize blood-donation campaigns for the Syrian army in what they consider a “stamp with blood” of gratitude to Syria’s heroes.

“Suleiman insists to donate his blood frequently, even though a legal period is set for that, allowing a healthy man to have his blood donated once in three months,” Director of the Blood Bank center in Homs Mohannad Khaddour says.

“The center gets thronged with donors every time it announces need for blood,” he added, indicating that, despite tough odds, blood is available in sufficient amounts.

M. Ismael