Zimbabwe: Woman Donates Safe Blood Over 100 Times
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The Herald (Harare)
9 July 2008
Posted to the web 10 July 2008
Paidamoyo Chipunza
Harare
A HARARE woman, Mrs Christine Shayamano, has made history by becoming the first black woman in Zimbabwe to donate safe and quality blood more than 100 times.
Mrs Shayamano (51), a Zimbabwean of Zambian extract has been donating blood since 1985. Her blood falls into a rare blood group.
Chronicling the history leading to her breaking the country's record, Mrs Shayamano remembered her high school days in Zambia when a group of people requested her donation since somebody was dying for her blood.
Then, she was 17-years-old. "They approached me at school about a month before my next donation pleading for a donation. "Although my headmaster was reluctant, my mother said the decision was mine if I should go ahead. Eventually, I gave in to their request," she said.
She said the organisation also made an undertaking that if anything went wrong, it would be their responsibility. However, Mrs Shayamano stopped donating blood the period she left school and when she got married.
"I was breastfeeding and my other children were still young so I was not willing to enter into any commitment. Besides, I was just coming into the country (Zimbabwe)," she said. Now a mother of four and wife to Mr Eliot Shayamano, she said she resumed donating blood in Zimbabwe in 1985.
"Since they told me that my blood falls into a rare group, I could not sit on a guilty conscience that I could save more lives through my contribution," she said. Since then, she has been donating blood at least thrice a year, widening to the list of the Zimbabwe National Blood Transfusion Services regular donors.
In 2006, Mrs Shayamano was selected on a special NBTS programme, which enables her to donate blood every month. "At first, the process was cumbersome because you would spend hours on a machine while they take blood platelets, which they want.
However, now that it is in me, I find it disturbing if I skip any session." She said most people intending to donate blood are discouraged by the fact that their blood is tested for diseases including HIV and Aids.
Mrs Shayamano however, called on the NBTS to intensify its educational campaigns on adult education instead of targeting youths only on the necessity of being a blood donor.
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NBTS spokesperson Mr Emmanuel Masvikeni said Mrs Shayamano was placed on a special programme, which enables her to donate blood monthly not only because her blood falls into a rare blood group. "Regular donors contribute the safest blood sustainable to the national blood supplies," Mr Masvikeni said.
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