Desmond Lewis, fondly referred to as Tiger, is the highest blood donor in Sierra Leone having donated 95 times. This World Blood Donor day marks his 25th year of blood donation and his commitment to saving lives has not wavered.
Desmond Lewis, fondly referred to as Tiger is the highest blood donor in the country having donated 95 times. This World Blood Donor day marks his 25th year of blood donation and his commitment to saving lives has not wavered, “donating blood is part of my life now,” he frankly admits. Tiger began donating in 1988 as a volunteer with the Red Cross. He recounts the first blood donation he did was inspired by a film he watched where soldiers’ were dying due to massive bleeding. Coincidentally, a couple of days after watching the film, the 34 military hospital in Freetown were looking for blood donors, “That is how I donated for the first time, and I have not looked back since” tiger explains. Tiger is a freelance journalist who has won four national humanitarian awards and selected as a UNDP fellow for consistent reporting on Gender Based Violence Issues in Sierra Leone. His passion and dedication to awareness raising and community mobilization as earned him respect as a pioneer not only in theatre, film and journalism, but also as a well respected blood donor activist.In 2003, Tiger was on his fourth donation for the year when a particular incident changed his focus in blood donation forever. He recalls donating blood at Connaught Hospital when a man walked by asking for a blood donor for his pregnant wife who was currently in labor. Tiger became quite disturbed by the situation because although the man was asking people in the ward to urgently donate blood to save the life of his wife, he himself refused to donate blood. It was that experience that inspired Tiger to have his blood be donated only to pregnant women and newborns. He is so diligent about this that once he has donated, he follows his blood to the maternity unit and ensures that it is only used to save the lives of women and newborns.As we join National Safe Blood Services (NSBS) in commemorating World Blood Donor day, we also celebrate Tiger’s selfless commitment to saving lives. He hopes to see a revival of a national blood donor club that will work with communities nationwide to ensure a sustained vibrancy and motivated group of blood donors. “I want us to be 1000 strong all around the country, donating blood and knowing that we are able to help save a life, that is my hope for blood donor clubs in Sierra Leone,” he says.Tiger truly is a hero as he continues to inspire other people around the country to join blood donor clubs and donate blood. He will be in Kabala tomorrow in preparation for World Blood Donor celebrations on Friday, June 14th.You too can be a hero, for more information on where to donate blood in Sierra Leone visit here.