Nearly 60 years old, woman hopes to donate blood for another 10 years

(Dan Tri) - "I can only donate blood once more because I am almost 60 years old. But I feel young and healthy, and have never failed to meet the requirements for donating blood. I hope the blood donation age can be extended by another 10 years."

Ms. Phan Thi Thu Ha (60 years old, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) shared on the sidelines of the Program to Honor Outstanding National Voluntary Blood Donors in 2025, taking place in Hanoi from June 3-5.

Ms. Ha said that up to now, she has donated blood 71 times, since the first time she "got involved" 29 years ago.

"Before that, I had never had any idea about donating blood, but when I encountered the case of my younger brother's child with congenital heart disease who had to undergo surgery and needed a blood transfusion (with a rare blood type), I donated blood to the baby for the first time.

With only a few days left until her 60th birthday, Ms. Ha plans to mark a special anniversary by donating 450ml of blood for the 72nd time (Photo: Hong Hai).

The surgery was successful, the baby is healthy, and I feel I should donate blood because many patients need me, so it has become a habit, donating blood every 3-4 months," Ms. Ha shared.

The thing that Ms. Ha regrets the most, as she is about to turn 60, is that she can no longer donate blood. "I can only donate once more on my birthday, according to regulations I am no longer allowed to donate blood. I feel very regretful, because I feel very young, my body is still healthy, I never thought I would be 60, and every time I donate blood I meet the conditions.

I usually donate 450ml of blood at a time. Donating blood regularly makes me feel younger and healthier," said Ms. Ha.

Not only does she donate blood, Ms. Ha is also an active propagandist to encourage her relatives and neighbors to donate blood.

As for Ms. Huynh Thi My An (50 years old, Hanoi), she is always conscious of "keeping herself" free from illness so that she can always have the conditions to donate blood.

To date, she has donated blood and platelets 112 times. Her husband and son are also active voluntary blood donors.

Ms. My An has donated blood and platelets 112 times (Photo: Hong Hai).

Like Ms. Ha, Ms. An had never thought about donating blood before. In 2010, when her father was hospitalized and needed a blood transfusion, she realized that there were many patients like her father, whose lives could be threatened without blood.

So, after that time, she kept donating blood. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when social distancing was in place and there was a shortage of blood donors, she was always worried that she would become F0, F1, so she tried her best to "protect herself" with a mask, personal hygiene... so that she could donate blood every day.

"For me, the happiest moment is not the number of times I donate blood, but because around me, my family and colleagues, many people have become aware and participated in donating blood.

But every summer and Tet, when I hear calls for blood donations due to blood shortages, I feel very heartbroken, because there are many people in the community who can donate blood, but maybe like me in the past, they don't know anything about blood donation. So every day, I tell myself to go everywhere to promote and mobilize people to donate blood," Ms. An shared.

The program to honor outstanding voluntary blood donors nationwide in 2025 took place from June 3 to June 5 in Hanoi and Phu Tho, co-organized by the Ministry of Health, the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society , the Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation of Phu Tho province and the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion.

Delegates participating in blood donation (Photo: Thanh Hang).

The message of this year's International Blood Donor Day, June 14, is: "Donate blood, give hope - Join hands to save lives".

Among the 100 examples honored this year, there are 29 female delegates, 71 male delegates; 9 delegates are medical staff, 13 delegates work inthe education sector, and 8 delegates are from the armed forces.

100 delegates donated a total of 4,800 units of blood and platelets, each person donated an average of 48 times.

In Vietnam, over the past 30 years, the voluntary blood donation movement has gradually spread widely in society and is growing stronger.

In 2024, the whole country mobilized and received nearly 1.75 million units of blood, equivalent to over 1.7% of the population participating in blood donation.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/gan-60-tuoi-nguoi-phu-nu-mong-duoc-hien-mau-them-10-nam-20250604172012026.htm