Trinidad and Tobago NewsdayThursday, February 10 2011Parents plead for blood for their two childrenPundit Gerard Harricharan, 49, and his wife Sumita, 42 of Mt Stewart Village, Princes Town are making a public appeal on behalf of their two children Kasturi, 15, and eight-year-old Sachdev, for members of the public to voluntarily donate blood and save lives.The two children were born with blood disorders, known as Thalassemia major.Harricharan (G), explained to Newsday that the increase in crime and vehicular accidents have been taking a toll on the blood bank leaving many persons suffering with blood disorders in trouble.According to him preference for blood is often given to victims of crime and accidents who authorities deem “emergency cases.”Thalassemia is a blood disorder passed down through families (inherited) in which the body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin, the protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells which leads to anaemia.“Right now there are too many persons, especially the children who are finding it difficult to receive blood transfusion even once a month,” Harricharan (G) explained to Newsday.“Our two children must get it once every month or face death,” he explained.“People coming to Mt Hope with gunshot wounds, chop wounds and vehicular accidents are given preference.”Kasturi and her brother are outpatients of the Mount Hope Hospital.“Sometimes the bank tells us we can get only one unit, and we have to decide between the two of them, who needs it most.”Give blood,” she pleaded.Calls to the cellphone of Communications Specialist of th North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) Suzanne Clarke went unanswered.