Curtin Volunteers! continues to give back to community through blood donation drives

Miri – 8 September 2010 – Curtin Volunteers! (CV!), a non-profit student-run voluntary organisation at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak), continued its efforts to give back to the community by carrying out its bi-annual Blood Donation Drive with the Miri Blood Bank recently.

It was held at the university’s Recreation and Event Centre and attracted 63 potential donors, out of which 55 were finally selected after initial tests.

Apart from helping the Miri Blood Bank replenish its blood stocks, the event was aimed at encouraging the university community to actively participate in charitable work. It was also a means of promoting health awareness among students and staff, particularly as donating blood is known to boost the immune system against diabetes, high cholesterol and Hepatitis-B.

19 CV! student volunteers were involved in running the event, which was supported by a team of technologists and medical assistants from the Miri Blood Bank.

“We are fortunate to have had the full support of the university management, lecturers, staff and students for all our blood donation drives. We started in 2003 and have organised 16 very successful donation drives to date thanks to their support,” said organising chairperson Ling Ke Yan.

According to Ling, the CV! started promoting the event two weeks in advance to ensure a good turnout of potential donors.

Ling also thanked the staff of the Miri Blood Bank, who are always willing to join hands with the CV! for such events.

Lily Ak Sinta, who headed the team from the Miri Blood Bank, said she enjoyed organising blood donation drives at Curtin Sarawak because of the overwhelming response from the students and staff.

“Curtin Sarawak has never failed to give us the support we need. All the students and staff are always very willing to lend their support. We look forward to their continued support for a long time to come,” she said.

Other than blood donation, the Miri Blood Bank also encourages Curtin Sarawak students and staff to register for organ donation. According to Lily, 14 new donors registered this time around.

Every year, the CV! organises various projects in support of the local community. Its projects extend beyond Miri City to rural communities as well through its annual John Curtin Weekends (JCW). This year’s JCW, which will be from 9 to 10 October and 16 to 17 October, will see CV! student volunteers performing charity work at villages and longhouses in surrounding areas.

Ling said that, besides contributing to the wellbeing of rural dwellers, the CV! aims to expose students to the lifestyles and traditions of local communities through the JCW.

Other upcoming events include a fundraising event later in the year and a second blood donation drive in conjunction with the university’s Curtin Open Day on 18 September 2010. Visitors to the event, as well as students and staff of Curtin Sarawak, are encouraged to support the blood donation drive whilst enjoying the fun and festivities during the Curtin Open Day.

For more information on the CV! and its activities, visit its homepage at www.curtin.edu.my/University%20Life/cv.htm, or alternatively, e-mail curtin.volunteers@curtin.edu.my.

Curtin Volunteers! with Miri Blood Bank staff during recent Blood Donation Drive for Semester 2, 2010.