Unable to donate, young woman leads blood drive

ABI-GAYE SMYTHE has been on a continuous drive to collect blood for the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), given that she is unable to donate blood but has been in need of the life-saving commodity.

To date, her efforts have borne fruit with the collection of 184 units, which could save 552 lives in Jamaica.

This amount represents one of the highest figures from a young person who has arranged seven blood drives.

Smythe started in December 2018 through her ‘I Have A Heart Foundation’, and for this effort, the NBTS awarded her on June 14 at their annual World Donor Day Awards Presentation, which was held at their offices in Kingston.

Smythe also received a Prime Minister’s Youth Award from Prime Minister Andrew Holness in 2020, for her leadership role and achievements, which have contributed significantly to nation-building.

Her last blood drive was held on June 12, in partnership with another young radio host, event producer, podcaster and YouTuber, Kareem Weathers, popularly known as Bwoyatingz, where they collected 33 units of blood, which could save 99 lives.

INSPIRATION

“I can’t give blood because I have a heart disease, but knowing the issue or challenge of the need for blood for heart surgeries, I decided to start hosting blood drives,” Smythe said.

“As a cardiac patient, I’ve undergone five surgeries already and I can’t go into the operating theatre without blood, so I know that struggle and I know that it’s real, so I do what I can,” she added.

Two surgeries were done on Smythe in 2012, two in 2018 and one in 2019.

“I have more [surgeries] to come,” she said.

Smythe was 19 years of age when she underwent her first surgery, and will have another one in about three to five years to replace the battery-operated Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) in her chest.

When asked why she continues to take on the stressful task of arranging blood drives and begging persons to donate blood, she said “it’s just the civic duty of helping my fellow men”.

Director, National Laboratory Services, Dr Michelle Hamilton, said the organisation is pleased when young people, such as Smythe, step up and act, even when that person is unable to donate.

“We are particularly pleased this year, because the emphasis is on youth and we have realised over the years, that this is really where the strength of our programme needs to lie,” Hamilton said.

“It is the youth who can change the culture of a nation, and it is the youth, therefore, that we are looking to today to change the culture of blood donorship. The young people of today, we are putting our hopes in you to tell your generation and the generations coming after, that they can give blood and they can save lives,” she added.