Ahmedabad: When Harish Patel donated blood as a teenager in Feb 1985, he followed a simple push from his father and a family culture of showing up for others. Four decades later, that first step promises to turn into a national first on Sunday when the 58-year-old will donate blood for the 300th time. This tally is unmatched and spans 125 whole-blood donations, 173 single-donor platelet (SDP) donations and one plasma donation after recovering from Covid.
Nearly half of his 173 SDP donations were made between midnight and 6 am. Patel’s wife Ami has donated 90 times, and their son Kanhai, a doctor, has donated 50 times, pushing the family’s collective tally beyond 440.
If the whole-blood count reflects discipline, Patel says the platelet donations reflect urgency. “When hospitals call for platelets, time isn’t a luxury,” he said. “If it’s needed at 2 am, you go at 2 am,” he said. “My daughter and son’s fiancee have also donated blood at camps.”
Single-donor platelets are often sought when patients face critically low platelet counts—common in certain cancers, post-transplant care and severe infections. “I built a reputation for not saying no. He has donated during major festivals as well. “Navratri, Diwali—blood shortages don’t take holidays. Patel’s legacy has inspired his family too.