07th November, 2022

Author: Preeti Sharma (Content Writer)

'Donate blood, save lives,' is a well-known phrase which encapsulating the significance of blood.

There seems to be merely no option for those who are in need, other than blood donated by a human being. However, the investigation for artificial blood is still in the beginning phases.

Many times, such demands for blood donation are denied for one or the purpose and potentially costing an existence. This is something Kiran Verma aspires to alter. Kiran Verma based in Delhi is currently on a 21,000-kilometer walk across India to promote blood donation. The 37-year-old social worker is describing his specific aspirations to "The HULAHUL Times" after having completed 10 months on October 28th, 2022 in Mancherial District in Telangana.

Taking a stroll down the memory lane, Kiran recalled, "In December 2016, I donated blood at a hospital after receiving a call from a random person. It wasn't until I met the patient's family and discovered the blood had been marketed to a poor patient from Chhattisgarh whose wife has paid Rs. 1,500 and because of economic hardship; the woman was driven into prostitution in order to cover her husband's medical bills. The woman's struggle has left me broken and enraged. Kiran then discussed this with his wife and after brain storming; that same day, resigned from the position as a marketing professional and decided to work to securing accessibility to blood banks.

Kiran Verma plans to walk 21,000 kilometers across India in December 2021 to promote awareness about blood donation. He began his journey in Thiruvananthapurum and crossed Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Goa, Maharashtra, and Daman and Diu and numerous villages.

Kiran was merely 5 years old when first time have heard of blood donation; it was a very emotional time for him as the blood was required for his mother who was battling with Cancer. He saw the challenges his father was facing at that time and lost his mother at the age of 7. Kiran become the donor at the age of 18; he donated blood to his teacher, an experience that transformed his life everlasting and when the teacher's son expressed his gratitude and said 'thank you' it was so heartfelt that it reminded me of my father's struggle to find blood for my mother.

Another incident which made me think of more awareness on blood donation happened on 26th December, when on a random call I was asked to search for a donor for a patient in Delhi. Every year I usually donate blood on my birthday on 27th December; so thought of why not this year before a day only? After giving blood, I was surprised to discover that the patient's wife had paid Rs 2,000 to the man who had approached me to give blood. This was time of demonetization and everyone was facing challenges in withdrawing cash from the banks”. Kiran felt deceived and attempted to lodge a complaint with the officials, but to no avail.

Later on it became a habit to donate blood whenever possible. Gradually, he was introduced to volunteer organizations, which existed long before and connected donor agencies and beneficiaries.

Kiran Verma then founded 'Simply Blood,' a platform that brings together those searching for donors as well as those interested in donating blood , with the goal of ensuring that no one dies while wait for blood. Simply Blood offers its services via a website, a mobile app, and Whatsapp and is working in USA, Pakistan and other countries. Annually, 15 million units of blood are needed in India, but only 10 million units are available.

Kiran Verma plans to walk 21,000 kilometers across India in December 2021 to promote awareness about blood donation. He began his journey in Thiruvananthapurum and crossed Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Goa, Maharashtra, and Daman and Diu and numerous villages.

Kiran was merely 5 years old when first time have heard of blood donation; it was a very emotional time for him as the blood was required for his mother who was battling with Cancer. He saw the challenges his father was facing at that time and lost his mother at the age of 7. Kiran become the donor at the age of 18; he donated blood to his teacher, an experience that transformed his life everlasting and when the teacher's son expressed his gratitude and said 'thank you' it was so heartfelt that it reminded me of my father's struggle to find blood for my mother.

Another incident which made me think of more awareness on blood donation happened on 26th December, when on a random call I was asked to search for a donor for a patient in Delhi. Every year I usually donate blood on my birthday on 27th December; so thought of why not this year before a day only? After giving blood, I was surprised to discover that the patient's wife had paid Rs 2,000 to the man who had approached me to give blood. This was time of demonetization and everyone was facing challenges in withdrawing cash from the banks”. Kiran felt deceived and attempted to lodge a complaint with the officials, but to no avail.

Later on it became a habit to donate blood whenever possible. Gradually, he was introduced to volunteer organizations, which existed long before and connected donor agencies and beneficiaries.

Kiran Verma then founded 'Simply Blood,' a platform that brings together those searching for donors as well as those interested in donating blood , with the goal of ensuring that no one dies while wait for blood. Simply Blood offers its services via a website, a mobile app, and Whatsapp and is working in USA, Pakistan and other countries. Annually, 15 million units of blood are needed in India, but only 10 million units are available.

The dire need of blood donations occurred during COVID-19's second wave in 2021. When there was a severe need of plasma for Covid patient and people searching for plasma donors. Many individuals who had regained from COVID-19 were able to donate plasma but were hesitant to do so because of misunderstandings about blood donation. “I experienced, it was critical for me to go out and do my part to start changing this. That's why I opted to walk all over India to promote the message” Kiran Verma stated.

On December 28, 2021, Kiran began on a 21,000 km walk all over India with the goal of making India a place where "no one should end up dying queuing up for blood after 31 December 2025." In each new place he visits, he tries to interact with as many individuals as possible and inform them about relevance of blood donation in simple terms.

According to Kiran; we just need 5 million blood donors, and if I am able to motivate people then together we can win this disparity. Kiran confesses that the journey had not been simple and due climatic conditions cannot walk more than 10 kilometers as well.

When asked how he's been able to keep himself, Verma said he keeps his routine simple and that the majority of the time when he arrives in a new place, a person who has accompanied his posts on social media or seen him walking around emerges through to host him during the day.

Kiran claims that the way India has overcome from Polio, it is now capable to overcome the shortage of blood as well and no one would die from the shortage of blood. If I'm able to assist in tackling one challenge of our generation, it will significantly affect 1.3 billion Indians, just by empowering 5 million more individuals to donate blood; if that actually occurs, it will be a tremendous accomplishment to overcome an issue that impacts the entire nation.