On its 10th anniversary celebration on October 10, 2010, Tzu Chi Foundation, Philippines’ Liaisons Office in Zamboanga City in the island of Mindanao paved way for more blessings to flow in their homeland as it donates over P2M worth of blood center equipment to the local chapter of Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC). The involvement of Tzu Chi Foundation with Red Cross Zamboanga office started when the former established a Tzu Chi Blood Donor Registry— with volunteers and members as donors—that provides the blood bank of the latter supply of blood. The concern of the Tzu Chi Zamboanga volunteers about the blood supply for patients came about at the height of the dengue outbreak in the city when volunteers got frantic calls from people who needed blood donation. However, as Tzu Chi volunteers can only give blood once every three months, they thought of a better way to answer to the situation so that these life-saving resources are not wasted.

We found out that in spite of our voluntary donation, there is still lack of blood (supply) and we discovered that it’s because of the equipment. They were using outdated equipment. To make full use of the blood donated by kind-hearted citizens, we took it upon ourselves to look for a way to solve this matter,” said Tzu Chi Zamboanga’s overall coordinator Dr. Anton Mari Lim.

 

After finding out that the local chapter of PNRC only had one small household freezer used to store donated blood and plasma which is used to treat dengue patients especially those with complications, Tzu Chi Zamboanga volunteers immediately sent out text messages to solicit funds for the purchase of blood bank equipment such as brand new plasma freezer, autoclave, platelet agitator, blood sealer, blood mixer and plasma extractor to improve the blood supply of the organization to locals with dengue and other blood-related cases in the city.

The target amount was reached after two months as concerned parents and people who have had blood-related problems in the past shared their resources and gave donations of love to help their needy fellowmen.

With these new apparatuses, the local Red Cross will be able to respond efficiently to the demand for safe and adequate human blood for the long run. Using the plasma freezer, for example, blood products will be preserved for five months to one year as opposed to the five-day lifespan of the packs of blood used to be stored at the old equipment of the organization.

The strong commitment of Tzu Chi Zamboanga to safeguard the health and the love in the hearts of the people was what became the spirit of its 10th anniversary celebration as it turned over two of the seven blood center equipment—the plasma freezer and autoclave—purchased by the foundation for the local Red Cross Blood Center.

In the turnover ceremony held at the headquarters of Red Cross Zamboanga City Chapter, officials of the organization and local government expressed their utmost gratitude for the invaluable help extended by Tzu Chi.

This freezer is an ultra low freezer where we store our blood products like the fresh frozen plasma which is needed in bleeding disorders. This is a very valuable equipment as it will make the lifespan of blood products longer. The autoclave, on the other hand, disinfects and decontaminates supplies that we use in blood-letting. Although this is small, it is also a very valuable equipment so we really would like to Tzu Chi Foundation for donating these equipment to us. I am sure that, with care and proficiency in handling, these equipment can go a long way

said Dra. Myrna Angeles, Red Cross’ volunteer pathologist.

Zamboanga City officials headed by Mayor Celso Lobregat, who have been busy in celebrating the Hermosa Festival 2010 that marks the feast of the city’s patroness Nuestra Señora de la Virgen del Pilar, together with Department of Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, were at the event that witnessed the untiring dedication of Tzu Chi volunteers in saving mankind from their miseries.

Since its inception in 1966, Tzu Chi has been steadfast in its commitment to provide relief and assistance to the poor. Zamboanga City is indeed one of the areas in the country that has benefitted so much from the benevolence and goodwill of Tzu Chi Foundation through the liaison office. This turnover ceremony comes at a very auspicious time not only because we are celebrating Fiesta Hermosa but also Tzu Chi Foundation is celebrating today, the 10th day of October, which is the tenth month, this year 2010. Much has been said about the so-called history of the 10-10-10-10, but whether or not it has the magic of success, today’s turnover ceremony is indeed very providential. Please extend our very deep gratitude and appreciation to Master Cheng Yen,”

said Mayor Lobregat.

 

Also present at the event were Tzu Chi volunteers from Quezon City and Taiwan, including Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) member Dr. Josefino Qua, who flew to Zamboanga to join the rest of the liaisons office in commemorating its 10th fruitful year and welcoming another year of compassionate-giving.

Looking into lives Tzu Chi Zamboanga helped rebuild

When 42 Tzu Chi volunteers and TIMA doctor came to Zamboanga from Manila, local Tzu Chi volunteers warmly welcomed them and gave a brief tour at the two medical facilities that were put up inside the compound of Zamboanga City Medical Center.

The tour, facilitated by Dr. Lim, exemplified the firm resolve and achievements of Tzu Chi Zamboanga in carrying out its Mission of Medicine for the sick and needy people of the land dubbed as Asia’s Latin City.

Greeting the visiting Tzu Chi volunteers were the homey ambience of the Tzu Chi Great Love Eye Center. Inaugurated on January 18, 2008, the eye center is dedicated to saving the sight of underprivileged locals of Zamboanga and neighboring provinces through free include cataract surgery, pterygium scrapping cases, squint operation, free check up on eye defects, free distribution of eyeglasses/reading glasses.

The eye hospital stands on a 1, 000 square meter prime land. It has been labelled as one of the modern eye hospitals because of its advanced and state-of-the-art eye diagnostic and operating equipment that cost P24M which was acquired through a soft loan granted by the Spanish government years ago. The two-story center houses a consultation room, laser room, operating room, doctor’s quarters, conference room, records room and the Tzu Chi office.

Tzu Chi volunteers, including Dr. Lim, and hospital staff work hand in hand in running the eye center and respond to the needs of TIMA doctors and patients that come for help.

As they toured the mini-hospital, Tzu Chi volunteers met the first corneal transplant beneficiary of Tzu Chi Zamboanga who has become a staff of the eye center. When 25-year-old Raymond Sinining was born, his cornea was already damaged which caused his vision to blur and held him back in living a normal life and help with the family income.

With his father as a factory worker who earns just enough for everyday needs, Sinining, the eldest among the brood of three, could only hope for kind-hearted people or organization to help him see clearly and live with no hardships.

>When he learned about Tzu Chi Foundation from a friend, Sinining quickly approached Tzu Chi volunteers in Zamboanga for assistance. In 2005, Sinining underwent corneal transplant under TIMA member and ZCMC Department of Ophthalmology head Dra. Ann Cases.

My eyes really couldn’t see before but after the operation, my vision improved drastically. My life changed a lot. I am very thankful to Tzu Chi and the volunteers for being so kind,”

Sinining said.

In the past, Sinining used to just stay at home and barely did work because of his disease. After recovering from the operation and when Sinining could finally perform tasks, Tzu Chi Zamboanga hired him to work as a staff at the eye center which eventually helped Sinining provide for his family.

I am most often tasked at the recycling station here at the eye center. Here, I learned how to cherish Nature and realized the value of garbage. I am really happy as I did not expect that I will become a part of Tzu Chi. I felt that it is much joyful to give help to others,

he said.

Tzu Chi volunteers also visited to the nearby Tzu Chi Great Love Physical Rehabilitation and Jaipur Foot Prosthesis Manufacturing Center also inside the compound of ZCMC. The rehab center, inaugurated in July 2004, provides a venue for therapy and adjustment for those who still need fine-tuning with their foot prosthesis.

Tzu Chi’s Jaipur Foot Manufacturing Center is the second most modern facility in the country that gives free prosthesis to differently-abled individuals not only in Zamboanga, but also in provinces of Cebu, Bacolod, Dipolog and others.

Through this center, Tzu Chi provides below- and above-knee Jaipur prostheses which are usually light in weight, water proof and functionally and aesthetically close to natural human limbs. Beneficiaries are amputees who attend Tzu Chi Zamboanga’s Foot Camps.

As they made rounds in the Rehabilitation Center, Tzu Chi volunteers took sight of one amputee who had just received his right foot prosthesis and was learning how to walk with it with the help of Tzu Chi Zamboanga volunteers.

Fifty-four-year-old Gregorio Avelido has had diabetes for 11 years. In April 2009, his right leg was amputated due to complications of his disease. After the canning plantation that he used work at closed five years ago, Avelido had to depend on his four children and wife in providing food on the table.

This financial hardship of Avelido was what moved Tzu Chi volunteers to help him reclaim a productive life by giving him free prosthesis. Avelido could not help but shed tears of joy when he tried on the new artificial leg he received.

This will change my life a lot compared with before when I did not have a leg. Even though this is artificial, this will be of big help to me, my wife and children because I will be able to lend a hand in the family livelihood like by selling bread or dishes. I am so happy and thankful to Tzu Chi Foundation and the Lord,”

Avelido said.

Tzu Chi volunteers also met Rommel Santos, 31, who used to be a drug-dependent since the age of 16. In 2003, Santos was shot at the right leg while trying to defend a friend during a fight. Last year, after meeting Tzu Chi Foundation and receiving free foot prosthesis from the organization, Santos’ life gradually changed. He then enrolled for a free training course in garment sewing offered by the local social welfare office.

The great love and compassion shown to him by Tzu Chi volunteers also moved him to quit his drug use and start to walk on the right path. Having met people who give selflessly beyond societal, religious or racial differences, Santos realized that it was time that he change his life for the better.

I was a drug user before but I did not expect to meet Tzu Chi Foundation who gave me a better direction in life. I thought my life was hopeless until I received free artificial leg. Now, my life continues to head towards a better change especially now that I have a limb. I’ve quit drugs so I am stable now, and not disabled anymore,

said Santos who came to the manufacturing center to have his prosthesis adjusted.

 

Santos added that if he hadn’t met Tzu Chi, he may not be able to work and do good. He now plans to have his own sewing machine so that he could start a business and fend for himself.

The center’s head, Dr. Raymond Sator, expressed his joy in meeting these people whose lives they helped change, saying, “It’s an inspiration for me to see the stories of these patients who strive to live their lives and move us to do the same. Giving them hope brings me happiness. There are a lot of inspiring stories among the amputees here who had a life full of depression and feelings of worthlessness but are now doing something with their lives.”

Dr. Sator dreams to reach out to more people in neighbouring provinces for he knows the incapacity of many amputees to acquire prostheses which cost from P12, 000 to P30, 000 in private facilities.

People here in Mindanao are poor and their situation is worsened by the war, they could not afford to buy even a pair of slippers, what more prosthesis. So this program is really a great thing. As long as there are people in need, we will continue with our service,”

Dr. Sator concluded.