Williamnagar, April 30: Students of Loyola College from Williamnagar have displayed exemplary leadership qualities and provided a shining example for others to emulate as they voluntarily came forth to donate their blood for hospitals that will provide the much needed lifesaver for patients in need of it.

As many as 37 students of the college donated their blood at a special voluntary blood donation camp and awareness programme organised by Loyola College itself inside their campus in Williamnagar on Saturday.

Loyola College is a prestigious education institution which has been providing quality education for the people of East Garo Hills for the past many years. Managed and run by the Jesuits, Loyola runs a school and a college in the East Garo Hills town.

What was most noticeable of the camp titled “Saving Lifes” was that the girl students joined their fellow male colleagues to volunteer and donate their blood for the blood bank of the hospitals. It was the first such programme of the college and has been hailed by educationists, parents and students alike and also the government.

The ‘Voluentary Blood Donation Camp and Awareness Programme’ was held under the aegis of Civil Hospital Blood Centre, Williamnagar, Civil Hospital Blood Bank, Tura, National Health Mission Meghalaya, Meghalaya Aids Control Society and State Blood Transfusion Council. was the first of its kind and saw great success with 37 students participating in the blood donation drive. The medical staff that accompanied the Mobile Blood Collection Unit of the Government Civil Hospital Tura, instructed the volunteers about the importance of blood donation and cleared any air of doubts and apprehension about blood donation. Having followed strictly all the COVID-19 related SOPs, the medical staff conducted all the obligatory preliminary tests very efficiently and filled the students honours with self-confidence.

“We were overwhelmed to see the confidence and enthusiasm of the students who came forward to donate blood in order to save lives. Many more Institutions and Colleges must emulate the example of Loyola College and educate youth in this noble service to humanity,” remarked doctors and health teams who took part in the blood donation camp.

Quoting from the Prayer for Generosity of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Patron Saint of the College, “To give and not to count the cost”, Fr. Dr.Sunny Augustine SJ, the principal of Loyola College praised the student donors and said: “ Our students are very generous to serve. This is the spirit of Loyola.” He also thanked the District Administration of Williamnagar for granting permission to conduct the camp as well as the Civil Hospitals of Williamnagar and Tura, National Health Mission, Meghalaya, Meghalaya Aids Control Society and the State Blood Transfusion Council for their willingness and whole hearted cooperation.