KUCHING: Blindness does not prevent 46-year-old Alexius Libau Jeggong from travelling back and forth to the hospital to donate blood.

RECOGNITION: Libau shows the certificate and the pin he received.

Even though he has to pay the taxi fare from his own pocket each time he goes to donate blood, it does not stop him from doing the good deed.

“The taxi usually costs me between RM10 and RM20 per ride but I’m willing to fork out the money for a good cause,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after receiving his Voluntary Blood Donor Award at the Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) Kuching Chapter Blood Donors Award Presentation 2008 ceremony held yesterday.

The awards were presented by MRC Kuching Chapter chairman Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen on behalf of MRC patron Datuk Amar Puan Sri Laila Taib.

Libau’s certificate showed that he had donated 85 pints of blood but his record stated he had donated 90 pints.

He said he first started donating blood in 1986 to help a friend who was involved in a sawmill accident in Bintulu.

“My friend lost a lot of blood and he needed AB+ blood. My blood type matched his so I gave him one pint,” he added.

Since then he has been donating blood regularly – four times a year.

The father of two said his motivation to give blood was due to his desire to help others who were in need.

His son, Jeremiah Gad Alexius, 20, who is a student, has followed in his father’s footsteps as a voluntary donor.

He has donated two pints of blood so far and his first was in 2006.

“No, I did not encourage him to donate blood. He did it on his own conviction. My wife and my daughter, however, are non-donors,” Libau said.

Libau, who is working as an office assistant at Sarawak Energy Bhd, said there was no harm in donating blood and urged more people to come forward to do so.

He pointed out that based on his experience there was no side effect in donating blood.

Libau, who is originally from Julau, said he was aware of many other blind people who were blood donors like him.