BAPS Charities hosted the ‘In the Joy of Others Blood Donation and Stem Cell Registry Campaign’ in partnership with Canadian Blood Services across various cities in Canada.
Since 2022, the ‘In the Joy of Others’ Blood Donation and Stem Cell Registry Campaign has been held annually in 13 cities across Canada. The campaign aims to collect blood, plasma, and stem cell registrations to assist thousands of people in need at hospitals nationwide. It will continue to fulfil this objective in 2023.
To date, the campaign has successfully collected over 1,000 units of blood, saving the lives of more than 3,000 individuals. Additionally, the campaign promotes the Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry, with over 400 registered so far.
Numerous Canadian patients each year rely on stem cell transplants to save their lives. However, less than 25% of patients find a perfect match within their biological family and must turn to unrelated donors. Among them are twins Zoey and Misha Prajapati from Brampton, Ontario. Currently, the South Asian community comprises less than 7% of registrants on the Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry, making it more challenging for individuals of South Asian descent to find a suitable donor.
Sanjay and Nipa Prajapati, parents of Zoey and Misha, expressed their gratitude to BAPS Charities for their swift mobilization and assistance in organizing the swab drives across BAPS Centers for their daughters. The Prajapati family finds this particularly meaningful, as it increases the chances of finding a matching donor within the South Asian community.
“Canadian Blood Services is grateful for the partnership with BAPS Charities and all they do to help patients in need. This spring, BAPS Charities has inspired over 400 members to join the stem cell registry and we look forward to seeing many more in response to your national stem cell drive. On behalf of the patients we serve, thank you for your commitment and generosity.” said Margaret Miedema, Director, Philanthropy and National Partnerships, Canadian Blood Services.
BAPS Charities Canada President Yogesh Patel said, “Our past blood drive campaigns in North America have helped save 66,500 lives. BAPS Charities would like to thank all the donors and blood agencies. Without their assistance, we would not have been able to provide the services vital to the well-being of our community.”
Through various activities such as health fairs, bone marrow and blood drives, walkathons, and disaster relief operations, BAPS Charities sincerely serves the world by caring for individuals, families, and communities.
