By Mir Showkat
Blood donation is a way to contribute in saving life and Shabir Hussain Khan from shehr e khas has put his arms in the line for 38 years, 161 times. Shook by his friends los, he has made it mandatory upon himself to donate blood and help people.
His blood group is O negative.
It was 1980, Shabir’s friend Atif Ahmad met with an accident. He was rushed to hospital and the family was asked to arrange blood as soon as possible. He too had blood group O negative.
“I rushed to hospital, to save my friend, it was my first time to donate blood,” Shabir narrates.
Atif however died few days after. “Atif was an ace footballer.”
Shabir, 27 then, was shaken on Atif’s demise and that incident changed the whole outlook for him.
Shabir is 55 now.
He is a paper Mache artist and lives in Kamangarpora Kadikadal locality of Srinagar city.
“With a rare blood group O-Negative, he presents himself always,” an official at a blood donation camp held recently in SKIMS said.
“Every one knows him.”
According to Shabbir ‘uncertain circumstances in the valley left many persons injured, many of them need of blood’.
“I stand ready, always, to help needy persons,” he said.
During peoples uprising in 2016 post HM commander Burhan Wani’s killing, he says, he too went several times to hospital to donate blood.
“I am regular donor from last 38 years. I am healthier than my friends,” he says.
Shabbir says that donating blood has become his passion and people should not shy away from it.
“Donating blood leads to a temporary weakness but is again completed within 2 to 3 days,” he claims.
Shabir says he is serving humanity with his own way.
In June 2018 Regional Red cross Kashmir Branch felicitated him and gifted him a bi-cycle.
“I will continue to donate blood and it is an honor that if someone is benefitted from my service,” he says.
