Bengaluru school students launch ‘Red Wave Initiative’ to rope in blood donors

India has one of the most acute shortages of blood supplies globally. To help address this grave healthcare challenge, four students from Canadian International School, Bengaluru, have kickstarted the Red Wave Initiative.

This initiative is working closely with Cytecare Cancer Hospitals towards fulfilling the collective aim of having a registry of 10,000 blood donors. Red Wave Team has already motivated hundreds of such volunteers to be part of this registry.

As the Clinical Knowledge Partner for the Red Wave Initiative, Cytecare Cancer Hospitals, invited Siddharth Sharma, Tanvi Mavuri, Pranav Karthik, and Ananya Prabhuram of class 11 to be a part of its Observership Programme.

The unique experience inspired the four school students to take proactive measures to encourage voluntary blood donation and save countless lives.

“The Observership Programme at Cytecare Cancer Hospitals was truly an eye-opener. We learned about some of the biggest challenges in the healthcare sector in India and we were keen to do our bit to make a difference,” said Ananya Prabhuram, a founding member of the Red Wave Initiative.

“Over the last few months, we have not only spread awareness about blood donation, but also helped underprivileged patients at the hospital. We recently crowd-sourced funds for a young cancer patient’s treatment through online platforms, marathons and an art workshop at school. Much more can be done, and we hope that more people will join in this endevaour.”


Speaking about the Red Wave Initiative, Amit Sharma – CIO & Head Partnerships and CSR of Cytecare Cancer Hospitals noted, “Cytecare Cancer Hospitals is proud to be associated with brilliant young minds who are working towards bridging the gap in our healthcare system. The idea behind our Observership Programme was to give youngsters an opportunity to witness how the hospital functions and sensitize them to the issues faced by the healthcare sector.

“The determination with which these students have worked relentlessly over the last one year has been undeniably heartening. This has been a great learning experience for all of us!”

Cytecare Cancer Hospitals, a 150-bed organ-site-focused cancer hospital, was launched in November 2016 at Yelahanka, Bengaluru.


According to the World Health Organization (WHO), blood and blood products are life-saving resources. Not just for emergencies, accidents and surgical procedures, but also for the management of medical disorders, such as the bleeding associated with pregnancy and childbirth, childhood anemia, and transfusions for patients with blood and bone marrow disorders, inherited disorders of hemoglobin and immune-deficiency conditions.

Shortage of blood has been one of the largest public health challenges in India. An adequate supply of blood and blood products can only be ensured through regular donations by voluntary, unpaid blood donors. This calls for greater awareness among people about the importance of blood donation.

The Red Wave Initiative is a small, but significant step in that direction. The plan is to develop it into a legacy club that organises extensive blood donation campaigns, raises awareness, dispels myths and motivates people to contribute to this noble cause. - TWL Bureau