Ceremony held to mark the 20th World Blood Donor Day

A ceremony was held at Shenzhen Media Group Tower on Sunday night to mark the 20th World Blood Donor Day and the 30th anniversary of the city’s efforts in promoting blood donations. Since the launch of Shenzhen Bone Marrow Gene Information Bank in 2000, more than 60,000 voluntary blood donors in the city have become hematopoietic stem cell donors, according to the city’s health commission. As of May 8 this year, Shenzhen had recorded 5.34 million blood donations by voluntary and unpaid blood donors, who donated a total of 1,068 metric tons of blood.

Wu He (R), a 30-year-old bone marrow transplant recipient, holds his donor Chen Hefen at the ceremony. Eighteen years ago, Wu received a transplant of stem cells donated by Chen, who, as he put it, has given him a second life.