For some, blood donation might be an occasional event. For others, it could be a monumental decision. In Kadiresan S/O Packirisamy’s case, though, it is as simple as a way of life — one that he does not take for granted.

The son of a Champion Blood Donor, Kadiresan S/O Packirisamy remembers accompanying his father to blood donation appointments throughout his childhood. They would take a long route via MRT from their family home in Sengkang to Bloodbank@HSA, near Outram Park. There, Kadiresan would wait outside while his father finished up the appointment. He fondly remembers the Blood Bank employees keeping him company and offering him snacks. 

With a chuckle, he mused, “I’m pretty sure those snacks were meant for donors, not me.” 

None of these employees could have known that their small gestures of kindness were building the foundation for his present lifestyle, not only as a regular blood donor but as a Champion Blood Donor, close to twenty years later.

Taking the baton and seeing it through

“When I turned 18, I automatically went for it,” he shared. 

Having grown up seeing blood donation as part of his father’s regular routine, he had no qualms that he would eventually become a regular donor himself. He now follows in his father’s footsteps quite literally, along the same route from Sengkang to Outram Park every month. 

“It’s the only blood bank I’ve ever been to,” he remarked matter-of-factly, citing his strong rapport with the blood bank employees and familiarity with the place as the motivation for the long journey. 

“They all know me and I know them; it feels like one big family there,” he quipped.

Overcoming his fear to save lives

At first blush, Kadiresan’s very first blood donation experience as a fresh-faced 18-year-old might seem less than ideal. 

“When I watched my dad donating blood as a child, it didn’t seem that bad,” he recounted. 

“But the first time I went on my own and saw the anaesthesia needle next to my hand, I became quite worried!” he acknowledged.

The blood bank employee attending to him, however, was very understanding. She reassured him that it would be over quickly and instructed him to look away as she administered the local anaesthetic. Sure enough, he experienced only a slight, brief pain. Before he knew it, he was done and homebound.

“To this day,” he confessed, “I still have a fear of needles.” 

Kadiresan’s apprehension around needles has far from disappeared; in fact, he still feels the way he did at that first appointment. How did he overcome the discomfort of going through with not merely the first, but over 200 subsequent donations? His secret is simple — “just tahan¹”.

“The employees are very understanding. They can tell from the look on my face — I can’t even bear to look at the needle,” Kadiresan said. 

Yet, he mentally prepares himself every time. Through sheer willpower, he patiently waits until it is over. 

“I just listen to what the nurse says. I look away and take deep breaths. After a few seconds, it’s done,” he said.

Addressing first-time donors who may be concerned about the needle, Kadiresan shared, “It might seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually very fulfilling to know that you’ve done something good. It’s all worth it in the end. If I can overcome my fear, surely anyone can do it too!”

The compassionate attitude of the blood bank employees in the face of his fear rings true with his childhood memories of the kindness he received from their predecessors. It has cemented Bloodbank@HSA as a place he holds close to his heart. 

“I’ve written in several times to compliment the employees,” he said.

"With them around, I feel totally at ease in the knowledge that I’m in good hands,” said Kadiresan.

Making time for what’s important

“When I was 19 or 20, during my appointment, the nurse mentioned to me that I had good veins and should try making apheresis donations.” 

Taking her word for it, Kadiresan switched to apheresis donations and has not looked back since. Compared to the three-month wait between whole blood appointments, apheresis donors have a much shorter recovery period between donations. 

“You can do it every month, so for me, it feels like I’m doing more good overall,” he noted.

The decision to become a regular plasma donor came with some challenges. As apheresis donations are more time-consuming than whole blood donations, Kadiresan has to set aside more time for apheresis donations monthly. To him, finding time is the most challenging aspect of maintaining the habit. 

“Work life is hectic; it may be difficult to make the time for a two-hour process,” he admitted. His advice to aspiring donors? Set the appointment date in advance and be sure to keep it free. 

“Sometimes, if urgent things crop up, I end up missing an appointment. But I make up for it in the following week,” he said.

Winning the award

Though time brought its changes to his life and career, his personal dedication to blood donation remained steadfast.

This year, he joined the ranks of the Medal For Life recipients, having accumulated 205 blood donations. The milestone is a major personal achievement to him, and he views it as yet another stepping stone in his blood donation journey. 

“At the very start of this journey, I already knew that I would hit 200 donations," says Kadiresan, an Operations Manager at a multinational technology company.

He had set this as his personal target since his youth, and now looks forward to the next milestone.

Though his father passed away seven years ago, Kadiresan extends his father's legacy through his commitment to saving lives through regular blood donation.  

“As a child, I didn’t really understand my father’s motivations. But now, to me, it’s just the right thing to do,” he said. 

Finding a sense of purpose

The knowledge that each bag of blood can save three lives has motivated Kadiresan, 39, and kept him going on his blood donation journey for the past 21 years. 

As he believes that understanding the purpose of blood donation are integral, he urges adults to emphasise the importance of blood donation early in a child’s life. 

“They have to see the reason. Then, they may be encouraged to step forward to donate blood when they’re older,” he explained.

Kadiresan reflected that other blood donors, like himself, might find a sense of purpose in doing the right thing. 

To encourage those who have never donated blood before, he suggested, “Tell yourself to try it at least once. Then you will know that it’s easy and you don’t have to worry.” 

“If you set aside some time, it’s very accessible to come forward with the blood bank locations and regular mobile blood drives. You just have to take the first step,” he said.

¹ - Tahan means “to endure” in Malay.

By Joy Lim
Copyedited by Michael Gutierrez, Volunteer