Annual Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Blood Drive
March 11th 2009

The Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Committee in conjunction with the National Blood Transfusion Service and Friends of the Blood Bank Association, the University of the West Indies and UTT will be launching the annual Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Blood Drive tomorrow at UWI, St Augustine.

The drive is also to commemorate Sir Frank Worrell’s important gesture some 47 years ago.

At a media briefing to launch the drive Thursday, held at the President Box at the Queen’s Park Oval, speakers relived the moment which nearly cost the life of India’s captain Nari Contractor, who is a special guest visiting from India.

“ During India’s 1962 cricket tour to the West Indies, their captain, Nari Contractor was severely injured in their tour match against Barbados at the Queen’s Park Oval. He was struck by a vicious bouncer and sustained a fractured skull. Contractor required two life saving operations and several blood transfusions during his hospital stay before being able to fly back to India. Sir Frank Worrell was among the first donors to give blood during the crisis, followed by several players from both sides in an effort to save Contractor’s life,” said Professor Mootoo who is the Chairman of the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Committee.

He said that unknowing to most of us in the Caribbean, each year on February 3, there is an ongoing blood drive, in the state of West Bengal, India, to commemorate Sir Frank Worrell’s magnanimous act to save their captain’s life.

“ India has never forgotten his genuine gesture of kindness and on this date thousands line up outside of the famous Eden Gardens in Kolkata to give blood in honour and memory of Sir Frank Worrell,” Professor Mootoo said. He added that through sport they the committee intend to contribute meaningfully to society and more specifically towards the well being of the nation.

“ Having an adequate supply of blood in the blood bank is critical to maintaining a healthy population. In sport, on the field we may be fierce competitors and rivals; off the field we are all human beings . No one showed this more clearly than Sir Frank Worrell in 1962.

The drive will be held over two days — tomorrow at the Heartease Classroom of the University of the West Indies and on Saturday at the Blood Bank on Saturday. Contractor will inaugurate the drive on Friday at UWI. The committee is targeting 100 units over the two-day period.

On Friday a reception in Contractor’s honour will be held at the Queen’s Park Oval from 6.30 pm, while on Saturday a dinner in his honour will be hosted by President of QPCC, Bruce Aanensen at his residence, 18 Knightsbridge Road in Cascade.