Berhampur bizman feted for donating blood, platelets over 100 times

Berhampur: A 43-year-old from the city, B Laxmi Narayan Patra, was felicitated by the Association of Voluntary Blood Donors (AVBD), Ganjam district unit, on Wednesday for donating blood and platelets 107 times in the last 25 years. Patra, a businessman, has donated blood 97 times and single donor platelets (SDP) on 10 occasions. “He is an active member of the AVBD and is an inspiration to others,” said J Suresh, former president of AVBD. Patra is known to organise donors and was involved in arranging volunteers from Ganjam district to donate blood after the train accident at Bahanaga in Balasore district. Around 40 people in Berhampur had gone to Balasore on June 4 to donate blood for the train accident victims. Patra said he started donating blood in 1998 when he was 19 years old. “Me and one of my relatives donated blood for the first time to a woman patient. Initially, I was reluctant to donate blood, fearing it would make me weak. I then started donating blood regularly at three-month interval,” Patra said.“I feel happy as I have touched more than 100 lives. I will continue to donate blood till my health permits,” he added. TNN