Among the participants was Vicky, an interior designer from Italy. She undertook a substantial trip from Futian District to Shekou. “A friend of mine told me about the blood donation, so here I am,” said Vicky while resting in post-donation observation. “I’m glad that I can help.”
Around 30 people took part in the event to give blood, which was organized by an Indian businessman and the St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Shekou in collaboration with the Red Cross Society of China Shenzhen Branch and the Shenzhen Blood Center.
“I really appreciate people who showed up today,” said Vincent Fernandes, the Indian businessman who initiated the Shekou blood drive in April 2020.
Fernandes said that it probably isn’t the best time to organize such an event because many expats have left the city for summer vacations, but those who are still in the city dedicated their time and effort to a noble cause.
Malaysian Jamie Gomez, a familiar face in Shenzhen’s blood drive community, had donated blood seven times, demonstrating his steadfast commitment to the cause. He celebrated his eighth blood donation Saturday.
Recounting how he learned of the blood donation, Gomez said that a friend from his church told him. “He told me about the donation, and I said, ‘Just let me know the time and place. I’ll be there.’ No other words were needed because it’s fulfilling to help out, even in such a simple way.”
Gomez and a Chinese friend traveled from Xili in Nanshan to the blood donation venue. “I’m happy to help out,” said his Chinese friend, who was a little nervous before donating blood for the first time.
The event, which successfully collected 10,110 milliliters of blood, had an impressive 97% success rate among registered donors, according to He Qiyan, a Shenzhen Blood Center staffer. He explained that everyone who wanted to donate blood was given a brief on-site blood test to ensure that they were fit to contribute.
Shenzhen has led China in voluntary blood donations over the past three decades, pioneering various blood donation initiatives. It became the first city in China to promote blood donations on the street May 8, 1993. Two years later, Shenzhen introduced the country’s first mobile blood donation vehicle for voluntary, unpaid blood donations.