MISSION UHAI
Mission Uhai is an event organized by a group of friends called 500smiles. We volunteer in several places one of them being Kenyatta hospital cancer ward for children. As part of making the children smile, we donate blood to the ward. We make it a big event so that we can save as many lives as possible. We came up with a catchy phrase for this event “Tell a friend, to tell a friend,
to tell other friends to donate blood. “Uhai”, our theme for this campaign is the Swahili word for life. Many Children with cancer undergo chemotherapy, which can temporarily reduce the number of circulating blood cells. The fatigue most children with cancer experience is partly caused by low levels of red blood cells (anemia), which carry oxygen to muscles. This is particularly true in patients with blood-related cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, in which the disease itself can dangerously lower the body’s production of blood cells. Transfusions of red blood cells are often administered to cancer patients while they recover from the temporary toxic effects of treatment. Some cancer treatments can also cause a loss of platelets, so platelet transfusions are sometimes given to lower the possibility of a serious bleeding episode in these patients. Children undergoing bone marrow transplants, as well as those with leukemia and certain other diseases of the blood, are particularly likely to need platelet transfusions. With these facts about cancer, Mission Uhai is a worthy course for the children. Our target is to mobilize people to come and donate blood and to sign up as regular blood donors. We have partnered with Kenya Red Cross who bring their volunteers to mobilize people and Kenya National Blood Transfusion which provides the medical personnel, refreshments for the donors, a first aid team with an ambulance in case of any emergency, information desk, beds, donor cards and counseling where necessary. The Kenya National Blood Transfusion distributes the blood as needed, however KNH Pediatric Oncology is a priority.
