This weekend, on Sunday December 11th from 9am to 4:30pm, several groups are joining hands to support blood collections for Japan Heart Hospital’s surgeries for children with cancer.
The Japan Heart Children’s Medical Center is in urgent need of blood donations for children who are receiving life-saving surgeries for cancer. Japan Heart Children’s Medical Center opened its pediatric ward in 2018 and has has treated dozens of patients with the most serious cancers. Prior to 2018, there were no facilities in Cambodia that could treat pediatric cancers and with the support of highly skilled surgeons from Japan working together with Japan Heart’s local medical professionals have increased cancer survival to more than 50% from 20%.
Japan Heart specializes in treating malignant abdominal solid type tumors and pediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, nephroblastoma and others. The pediatric ward is isolated from the other wards and can hold around 28 patients. The services are free of charge.
In addition to pediatric cancer treatments and surgeries, they are also working hard to spread awareness of cancer symptoms to encourage early treatment and higher survival rates.
Blood of Kindness is a social campaign initiated by local youths in cooperation with Japan Heart to raise awareness on the importance of blood donation in Cambodia. They have organized several donation events so far, with the main goals to garner voluntary blood donors to help save the lives of children with cancer who are receiving free treatment at the medical center and to help spread awareness of the importance of blood donation in Cambodia.
The Be Eco Sustainable Shop is excited to be able to host the community blood drive for Japan Hearth together with Gateway to Khmer as the venue sponsor and the Blood of Kindness group. Another entity that has come on board in support of the drive is Eleven-One Kitchen who are sponsoring healthy, plastic-free lunches for the blood collection team with donated plastic free boxes and cutlery from Only One Planet.
There will be specials in the shop downstairs for blood donors, free popcorn and a lucky draw.
This really is the collective effort of so many generous groups and individuals coming together to support an important cause and it’s an event that anyone between the ages of 18-60, weighing more than 45kg and in good health, can participate in.
Every potential donor meets with a doctor for a health review and blood pressure check, followed by a pin prick blood test before being allowed to donate. Blood collection takes only a few minutes, while the entire process can take up to 45 minutes. Additionally, there are eco-friendly craft sessions taking place in the building for children, so parent donors can drop their children off while they donate. Please register for the craft sessions here: https://forms.gle/tZPrLN3xh7nuFKEy5
The Blood Drive will take place at Gateway to Khmer building on the 8th floor. Blood is collected by the National Blood Transfusion Center team, which follow standard operating procedures to global blood collection standards.
Be Eco Sustainable Shop is located on the ground floor of the Gateway to Khmer Building and can be found on TADA and Google maps here: https://goo.gl/maps/64ZRgph1BxwAWi1bA
Note: Monika Nowaczyk is Chief Knitting Officer & CEO, Beebee+Bongo & Cambodia Knits
