UK Muslims Champion Blood Donation

Extending a hand of help to their society, Muslims in the United Kingdom have launched a nationwide campaign for blood donation, a move seen as helping promote the Islamic values of giving.

"By donating blood we have the opportunity to promote the values of Islam and fulfill our obligation as Muslims to care for those who are sick and unwell, regardless of their religion,” Haidar Abdali, Islamic Unity Society (IUS) campaign organizer in London, told The Muslim News.
"At times, living in such a diversely populated city like London can make Muslims isolated from the wider British community.
"This campaign helps encourage positive integration,” he said.
The blood donation drive, titled the Imam Hussain Blood Donation Campaign, aims to increase the number of regular blood donors from the Muslim community in Britain.
Working in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), sessions were organized in several British cities to encourage Muslims to donate blood.
"Giving blood can save a life which is like saving the whole of humanity.” Muhammad Kraish, a Glasgow Muslim who donated blood under the campaign, said.
Noor Al-Hussaini, a first-time donor and Mathematics student at Sheffield University, agrees.
"It was a good experience,” Al-Hussaini said.
"The whole process went very smoothly and made me wonder why I hadn’t donated blood before.
"I will most definitely donate blood again when I can,” he said.
So far, the campaign has attracted 307 people to attend blood donation sessions this year, with 225 successfully giving blood.
Another campaign session is scheduled in London on January 6.
The National Health Service needs 7,000 voluntary donations of blood daily with only four percent of the eligible population are active blood donors.

Source: rohama.org