The O’hana Foundation has taken a step towards supporting health services in Madang through a blood donation initiative aimed at helping address blood shortages at Modilon Hospital.
The initiative was carried out recently after members of the foundation received reports from clinical student members that the hospital blood bank was running short of blood.
Founder and Director of the O’hana Foundation, and Female Vice President of the DWU SRC, Theresha Diannah Orere, said the organisation wanted to make a more meaningful impact by contributing in a different way.
“We were inspired to carry this out upon receiving word from our clinical student members that the hospital was running short of blood. Most of the time, regular donations and initiatives done by students and interest groups involve toiletries. For us, we decided to do something different and something more impactful,” she said.
Founded in 2024, the O’hana Foundation is a youth foundation strongly rooted in community service and empowerment, guided by the Melanesian spirit of togetherness and helping people. Since its establishment, the foundation has been actively carrying out awareness activities and community initiatives.
A total of 13 participants took part in the blood donation exercise, contributing towards helping replenish blood supplies needed to save lives at the hospital.
One of the participants, Zuriel Kakavi, a final year Environmental Health student at Divine Word University, shared her experience, admitting she was initially uncertain about donating blood.
“At first, I was skeptical because I didn’t know if I had enough blood. But when we arrived and I saw my friends donating, I felt confident enough to do so. In the end, like most of my friends, I came out feeling that my simple and humble contribution will save a life,” she said.
Despite the success of the initiative, the foundation encountered several challenges, including fear surrounding blood donation and donor eligibility.
“One of the challenges we faced was getting people to donate blood because of the fear surrounding it. Another challenge was having eligible donors. Most of our participants couldn’t donate because of low HB levels, meaning we need to eat better food,” Theresha explained.
Blood donation remains vital for hospitals to respond to emergency situations such as accidents, surgeries and severe injuries where immediate transfusions are needed to save lives. It also supports patients living with serious medical conditions including cancer, anemia, kidney disease and blood disorders that require regular blood transfusions.
Additionally, blood donations play a crucial role in helping mothers and newborn babies during childbirth complications, particularly when excessive bleeding occurs.
The O’hana Foundation is now encouraging interested individuals, youth groups and organizations to consider donating blood, noting that the Modilon Hospital Blood Bank is open six days a week.
The foundation said even a simple act of donating blood can go a long way in saving lives and supporting those in critical need.
