Nepalese doctor extends helping hand with online blood donation campaign
Nepalese doctor Ashish Maskay gives blood at Shanghai Blood Center on Saturday.
Ashish Maskay ripped open his shirt, not to show off his muscles, but to reveal the "Bloodline" logo on his vest.
The Nepalese doctor, 47, who works at Shanghai United Family Hospital, is better known as the founder of Bloodline, a Shanghai-based non-profit advocacy group for blood donations.
The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, prompted Maskay to launch an online campaign.
Following government advice to reduce outdoor activities, many citizens are kept within the confines of their homes.
One of the consequences of this self-imposed quarantine is that fewer people are coming out to donate blood.
"This has left patients, especially those who need blood for surgeries, in a precarious situation," says Maskay, who founded Bloodline in March 2017.
He recently came across a case where a woman suffered post-partum hemorrhage after giving birth and was in critical need of a blood transfusion. Fortunately, her life was saved when appeals for blood donation were met.
"But think of a man who is injured in an accident, or a child with cancer," the surgeon told Shanghai Daily. "They may not be as lucky."
"So, in a certain sense, this COVID-19 epidemic is killing people, indirectly."
As a volunteer who started helping out at Shanghai Blood Center since 2011, Maskay says he is moved by the selflessness and devotion of staff there. Recently he noted that staff had been taking turns to donate blood themselves.
"Their struggle is real, and their sacrifices are praiseworthy," says Maskay, who decided to do something to help alleviate the shortage of blood.
After issuing a call for donations via WeChat, he received about 170 sign-ups. About 100 volunteers actually showed up at the Shanghai Blood Center.
Maskay uses a diagram to highlight the efforts of every donor. It started with a few hexagons, each signifying a new donation. Every time someone comes forward to donate, a hexagon bearing the donor's photo gets added onto the collage.
"When this heart-shaped diagram is finally filled up with hexagons, we will print it out and hand it over as a gift to Shanghai through Shanghai Blood Center," says Maskay, who has been working with the Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Shanghai United Family Hospital since 2007.
He conceded that while this is a small gesture in the face of a massive crisis, this campaign, which people can join by scanning a QR code called "GrowTheHeart," represents at least a small area where "we can make a difference."
"And this is also a way for us foreigners to make a statement and give back to Shanghai,” he added.
Maskay makes his donation with core members of Bloodline Xavier Noebes (left) and Corinne Son-Delfosse at Shanghai Blood Center on Saturday.
The Nepalese, who has called the city home since 2003, has been actively organizing blood donation drives at the community level and trying to educate the public about the importance of building a mutual support system based on volunteer blood donation.
According to him, events run by Bloodline have been increasingly attended over the years by locals, expats, company representatives and charity groups. This non-profit has grown to comprise 10 core members, with a social media following of 1,400.
Despite support that continues to stream in from every corner of society, Maskay said he felt upset when he read news about people being made targets of discrimination or racism over the virus.
"I eat the same food, I walk in the same streets as Chinese do," he claimed, a little exasperated. "And I am going to share my blood with my Chinese friends and colleagues."
Growing up with the notion that social service is part of life, Maskay says he is a regular blood donor himself. But having donated whole blood in December, he has to wait till at least March 14 to donate platelets again.
Going forward, he revealed plans to take Bloodline to the next stage. Through better use of technology, it will be easier to grow a database and reach out to people with rare blood types like O-negative or A-negative to help others in need, says Maskay.
"We connect people, we connect groups, we connect companies and charities. Pretty much everyone is interested in a virtual blood bank, " he noted.
