The best option, as experts suggest, would be to look within (autologous method) for a planned surgery (draw your blood a fortnight ahead of the surgery and carry out the transfusion soon after the operation. This also reduces risks such as infection and quality of blood). The next one would be to scan siblings and cousins from the same group. Among the helplines are: The Army Transfusion Center, New Delhi, (open to civilians in case of emergencies). Phone: 011-25681883 (Contact person: Col Dr P.S. Dhot); The Institute of Immuno-hematology, icmr, Mumbai: 022-24138518/19 (Director: Dr Deepika Mohanty), Alphones Kurien: 080-3333195 or www.lionsbloodline.com, B. Kumar (Bangalore): 94480-76727, Dr Latha Jagannathan (director, Rotary-TTK Blood Bank, Bangalore): 080-5287903 and www.bloodgivers.com.
