Expat group donates blood again in Huaqiangbei
A group of 45 expats got together to donate blood at the Huaqiangbei blood center in Futian District on Sunday, in the hopes to give back to society and save more lives.
Thirty-nine of them successfully donated blood, contributing 13,800 milliliters of blood and two units of platelets, according to the center.
South African Leoni van der Westhuizen donated blood for the first time in China on Sunday. “In South Africa, I donated a lot. Every four to six weeks, I donated blood. But in China, it was my first time and it’s for a good cause,” she said.
Van der Westhuizen is a science teacher and has been living in the city for almost five years. “Shenzhen is a really good city with good people. Everyone would always help if we need help. I donate blood everywhere I go, so I’ll definitely carry it on in Shenzhen.”
Mahesh Kyal, an Indian expat, who has been living in Shenzhen for 15 years and works for a foreign trade company in the city, donated plasma at the blood donation event Sunday. He said he had donated blood in Shenzhen about eight or nine times, and it was his second time to donate plasma Sunday.
“I’m glad to donate to help other people survive. I’m more than happy if I can do something for others and give back to society,” Kyal said.
For Kyal, Shenzhen has been a second home for him and a true home for his children because they grew up in the city.
Another Indian expat, Atul Jain, who runs an electronics company in Huaqiangbei, donated plasma again yesterday.
According to Jain, he donated plasma for the first time at a blood donation event in May. After that, he donated plasma twice more. “It’s for a good cause. As long as I’m healthy, I will keep doing it,” Jain told Shenzhen Daily.
The event, which was initiated by three Indian families, was aimed to encourage more people to donate blood and give back to the community.
“This time, I think it has been the biggest turnout so far. The good part is we extended this not only in the Indian community, but also to other communities. We’re very happy to see that,” said Varun Verma, one of the event’s organizers.
According to Verma, this was the fourth time they got a group together to donate blood. They started the donation event last year with the aim to give back to the community and planned to hold the event twice a year.
During the blood donation drive in May, a total of 36 expats participated in the event, with 28 among them donating 10,300 milliliters of blood and a dose of platelets.
According to Lan Yuxiao, deputy head of Shenzhen Blood Center’s blood donation service department, the Indian-led group blood donation event has been well-organized and has a high success rate in blood donations.
A group of expats pose for a photo during a self-organized blood donation event at the Huaqiangbei blood center in Futian District yesterday. Photos by Sun Yuchen
An expat poses for a photo during a self-organized blood donation event at the Huaqiangbei blood center in Futian District yesterday.
A group of expats pose for a photo during a self-organized blood donation event at the Huaqiangbei blood center in Futian District yesterday.
An expat poses for a photo during a self-organized blood donation event at the Huaqiangbei blood center in Futian District yesterday.
An expat poses for a photo during a self-organized blood donation event at the Huaqiangbei blood center in Futian District yesterday.