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Thirumalai Raj R: 35 Donations, 13 Years of Service, Turned Away for Riding a Bike

Thirumalai Raj R/LinkedIn

Feb 10, 2026, 14:50

Thirumalai Raj R: 35 Donations, 13 Years of Service, Turned Away for Riding a Bike

Thirumalai Raj R, Lead Product Support Engineer at Celigo, shared a post on LinkedIn:

”35 Donations. 13 Years of Service. Turned away for riding a bike.

I have been a voluntary blood donor for over 13 years. To date, I have made 35 donations. Throughout this journey, I have witnessed tears of joy, immense gratitude, and the pure relief of families finding a match in a critical moment. I have never walked away from a donation request. I ensure I am healthy, available, and ready to help.

Until today.

On Feb 9, 2026, I received an emergency request for AB-ve blood—a rare type—at Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, Chennai. Despite it being a Monday morning (the start of the work week), I dropped everything, traveled 11km on my bike, and arrived ready to donate.

Instead of a welcome, I was met with discrimination.
Security personnel physically pushed my bike to deny entry, instructing me to park on the street 800 meters away.

The reality: Visitors in cars were allowed entry. Hospital staff on two-wheelers were allowed entry.

The exclusion: Voluntary donors on two-wheelers were barred.

When I questioned this logic, hoping for a resolution so I could reach the patient, a hospital staff member escalated the situation, shouting:

‘Donate or not, we don’t care.’

That sentence broke something fundamental. It wasn’t just about parking; it was a total disregard for the time, effort, and intent of a voluntary donor.

I chose to stand for dignity—not just mine, but for every selfless donor who navigates traffic and takes time off work to save a life. I informed the patient’s attender of the situation and, for the first time in 13 years, I left a hospital without donating.

To the Management at Apollo Hospitals: We donors do not expect red carpets. We do not expect payment. We do not expect praise. But we do expect basic respect and accessibility. Telling a donor ‘we don’t care’ during an emergency shortage is not just poor management; it is a failure of your core mission.

Barring entry based on vehicle type while allowing cars is elitist and obstructs critical healthcare support.

I hope this reaches someone who does care.”

Thirumalai Raj R: 35 Donations, 13 Years of Service, Turned Away for Riding a Bike