20 July 2010, Dugong Alay, Dugtong Buhay: A big launch of another institutionalized community extension program, where every member of the PLM community is a stakeholder, marks a new milestone in the life of the University. An extremely satisfied donor internalizes the culture of sharing to the needs of the community.
The whole breadth of the University Activity Center served as host venue to the various stages of the bloodletting activity. The bloodletting never had a lull moment from 8am-6pm, even during lunchtime.
Stage 1 (Registration Area): Scholars and employees (faculty and staff) initially register to supply basic information which is manned by faculty members and employees of non-health-based colleges. Filled-up forms are validated by a set of health-based faculty members (Nursing and Medicine).
Faculty members verify and validate the veracity of the data supplied in the application form as a pre-cursor to the next steps.
Stage 2 (Pre-Screening Area): Scholar-volunteers from the colleges of Nursing and Medicine take the vital signs of the donors, i.e., blood pressure, pulse rate, weight and height.
Shots of the Pre-screening area with the various categories of volunteer (support-volunteer and blood donor-volunteer).
Part of the Pre-screening process is the copper sulfate method where blood droplets are tested in the solution to determine the hemoglobin level. Fingers are pricked to obtain a small amount of blood thru a cappilary tube, a droplet of which is subsequently tested. A floating blood drop means anemic while a healthy one will settle at the bottom. Those who pass this test will proceed to the Screening Area.
Stage 3 (Screening Area): Physicians from the Department of Health's Philippine Blood Center (PBC) conduct a quick physical examination of the donor from head to foot, including the eyes, chest (for lungs), and the heartbeat (if regular).
Snapshots of the Screening Area where the five (5) physicians of the Department of Health are all busy interviewing the blood donors.
Stage 4 (Bloodletting Area): Sixteen trained Phlebotomy nurses and medtechs simultaneously conduct blood extraction all day long until early evening.
Stage 5 (Holding Area): Blood donors rest for a while while being tended to by support-volunteers from the colleges of Physical Therapy, Sciences and Tourism. Donors are given with foods and beverages courtesy of the PBC and the Program sponsors (various colleges and the PLMAAI-Canada).
A support-volunteer is seen fixing her volunteer ID as she showcases it proudly. Others use a sticker ID instead.
As the bloodletting program rages in nearby University Activity Center, an aggressive information campaign greets everyone at the PLM Main Lobby.
Early on, support-volunteers are busy preparing for the multafarious activities, including those from the ranks of student councils who are among the most active and avid volunteers. Also being prepared is the tambiolo where stub entries are dropped for raffling at 3pm. Scholars and employees are encouraged to watch the movie presentations and answer a few questions on the stub relevant to the contents of said presentations. Note the major prizes and consolation prizes on the table.
A Phlebotomy paraphernalia of the trained nurses and medtechs. A set of bar-coded blood vials and donor data forms.
Blood bags are organized and immediately stored in "temperature-sustained" ice coolers.
Note that all blood vials, blood bags and donor data forms are bar-coded for easy cross-referencing, even as an employee-blood donor looks happy at the background without any taint of pain at all.
Dr. Eleanor Galvez, director of the Center for University Extension Services, performs a Phlebotomy.
Blood donors either hold or showcase their extracted blood with utmost satisfaction, indicating that the culture of community sharing is very much alive in the hearts of the PLM community.
A scared first-timer volunteer is comforted by several close friends at the start of the extraction process. She subsequently enjoyed the experience as everyone else.
Snapshots of of the Bloodletting Area at different times and different locations.
Donor volunteers waiting for their turn to registrater just outside of UAC.
Donor volunteers waiting for their turn at the Pre-Screening Area.
Employees and scholars alike showcase the height and shining moment of the culture of volunteerism.
Even personnel from outsourced services have joined the culture of volunteerism at PLM.
A few snapshots of those who have undergone the bloodletting program.
A close-up of a Phlebotomy procedure prior to blood extraction.
CUES director Dr. Galvez discusses at the sidelines with a few stakeholders on the next steps to be taken to further strengthen the culture of volunteerism of the PLM community as regard to the current program.
With the overwhelming response of the PLM community on the big launch of the Dugong Alay, Dugtong Buhay voluntary blood donation program, it spilled over up to early evening.
The last donor volunteer was awarded a Beany Baby and a ballpen on top of the usual food and beverage for all donors. The earliest donor volunteer was also earlier awarded the same perks. The Beany Baby was a donation from the PLMAAI-Canada while the ballpens were from the DOH.
DOH field physicians in a posterity shot with university officials led by University regent and alumni association president Jesus Trinos Jr., Executive vice president Atty. Patrick Mariano, CUES director Dr. Galvez and PDSPO chief Engr. Rolando Marasigan. They all acknowledged the splendid support of the PLM community's culture of volunteerism.
Additional snapshots of the simultaneous activities at the UAC and at the Main Lobby.
Snapshots of a few of the volunteers.
A posterity shot of a few of the DOH contingent and PLM support-volunteers.