RITA THAKKER had to arrange for several blood donors to replace nine bottles that she had to borrow for her maid, Anita Panwalkar, who had to undergo a surgery for a cervical polyp (growth) last month.

Panwalkar (45) had to undergo a complete blood replacement before the surgery as her haemoglobin count was just four as opposed to the normal 12. Panwalkar didn't have the funds to buy the required nine bottles of A-positive blood, nor could she afford to delay the surgery as she had been bleeding for the last two years.

Gynaecologist Dr Anjali Tillu therefore borrowed the bottles from Pooja Blood Bank and gave Panwalkar the required transfusion before operating on May 8.

Thakker was asked to arrange for replacement. Not knowing what to do, the 42-year-old housewife told her friend Bharti Chedda and within days the requirement was met.

This was because Chedda's daughter Priyanka knew Kunal Kataria, an engineering graduate who is a part of the eight-member group, Kshan that sends out text messages to gather blood donors.

Kataria sent Priyanka a formatted text message seeking details like the patient's name, blood group and the hospital name. He then sent the response message to Kshan founder Rajesh Chandra (33) and the others. They in turn forwarded the message to their contacts. In all 250 messages were sent and nine donors came forward.

"The moment I got to know that someone needed blood, I went to Pooja Blood Bank and donated," said 35-year- old beautician Bhavna Seth who lives in Mulund. "I haven't even asked who the patient is."

This is how the group works; they have no office, no fancy software to send out mass text messages and no funds. The mem- bers send text messages to their personal and profes- sional contacts at their own cost. Those who do- nate blood, send a ‘Blood Donated' message later to the members.

Often, the members do not know who the beneficiary they are sending out messages for is; donors don't know who receives their blood either. But the gesture changes lives.

"People just hear about us through word of mouth and ask for help," said Chandra, a graphologist. "Our motto is to send messages to as many people as possible so that blood reaches the person in need."

Chandra, came up with the idea for the group when he realised that most people who consult him have health problems. So, he decided to start an SMS chain to help those who need blood.

URL: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=06_06_2008_005_002&typ=0&pub=264