The EPCALM Foundation will conduct a bloodletting drive on Sept. 20, 2023 at the Samsung Hall of SM AURA in BGC, Taguig City from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., as part of its continuing Voluntary Blood Donation and Recruitment Program.
The blood drive is in partnership with the Blood Bank and Transfusion Service of St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City (SLMC-GC). It seeks to address the critical need for blood products, which are essential for the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma patients.
To enhance public understanding of blood cancers and highlight the importance of early detection and treatment, September has been designated as both World Leukemia Awareness Month (WLAM) and Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
In the Philippines, the EPCALM Foundation stands at the forefront of support for adult leukemia patients and their families. As part of its dedication to help improve the lives of those affected by leukemia, EPCALM is organizing the blood donation drive to commemorate WLAM this year.
EPCALM Founder and Board Chair, Dr. Erlyn Cabanag-Demerre, stated, “The blood donation drive is a testament to EPCALM’s commitment to improving the quality of life for leukemia patients. It supports not only EPCALM-serviced patients, but also underlines the urgency of maintaining a steady supply of blood for all those in need.”
A team of doctors, nurses and medical technologists from SLMC-GC will oversee the screening of potential blood donors, blood extraction, handling, and storage. Eligible blood donors will be enrolled in the Blood Assurance Plan (BAP) of SLMC-GC, and EPCALM’s Blood Donor Registry, which ensure donors free access to blood, safeguarding their health, and that of their immediate family members.
Hope in Wellness 2.0. The blood campaign forms part of other health and wellness activities lined up on Sept. 20 at Samsung Hall, billed “Hope in Wellness 2.0,” which is a fitting follow-up to EPCALM’s “Hope in Wellness Convention” at the same venue in 2017. Open to the public, the event also features booths selling a variety of merchandise, a talk about blood health by Dr. Catherine Rosales of the Philippine Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (PSHBT), and an all-important Hands-Only CPR training, led by the Philippine Heart Association (PHA).
Later in the afternoon, Jaypee Decena of the Institute for Dementia Care Asia leads the INDAK Dance for the Brain. Additionally, Mervin Kalinisan heads the Dance Fitness Party, and Pastor Bennie Lagos of Saddleback Church spearheads the Hula Dance Ministry.
The EPCALM Foundation functions through different service arms, each dedicated to providing comprehensive support to leukemia patients and their families. The Medical Care Ministry offers medical assessment, evaluation, counseling, and referrals, while the Medical Linkages and Networks Ministry establishes collaborations with medical groups, hospitals, and other medical-related organizations. Additionally, the foundation extends a hand of compassion through its Spiritual Care Ministry, focusing on providing spiritual services and resources to uplift patients and their families during their journey through the disease.
EPCALM calls upon the community at-large to join hands and support its blood donation drive. Through this initiative, EPCALM envisions a world where leukemia and blood cancer patients receive the care, understanding, and hope they deserve.
Media partners in this year’s “Hope in Wellness 2.0” include The Manila Bulletin and Magic 89.9 FM.
For more information and updates about EPCALM Foundation and its initiatives, please visit www.epcalmfoundation.org.