Donate platelets, drive for free and cook for children with blood diseases

With nearly a hundred platelet donations, many outstanding individuals shared that this is not only a charitable act but also a source of motivation and meaning for them to continue living. In addition to donating platelets, they also drive for free, open charity kitchens... to spread the spirit of volunteerism to the community of people in difficulty.

Honoring outstanding platelet donors.

On November 1, the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion organized a program to meet outstanding platelet donors in 2025.

With the message “Sunny Hearts”, the program is an opportunity to express gratitude for the noble deeds of regular platelet donors; create a space for exchange, sharing, and connection between platelet donors; and contribute to maintaining the regular platelet donation force.

Happy to be able to donate platelets to save lives

Sharing about the opportunity to volunteer for blood donation, Major Nguyen Thanh Xuan (officer of the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department, Ministry of Public Security ) confided that the first time he donated blood, he was very scared because his wife encouraged him. Because his wife was pregnant, she saw that there was a blood donation campaign in the apartment complex so she registered, but she did not meet the conditions so he went instead.

From that initial fear, the police officer began a long journey of blood and platelet donation. Unlike whole blood donation, platelet donation takes more than an hour, requires good health and regularity. Mr. Xuan shared: "Working in the armed forces, I am used to training so it is convenient. I usually take advantage of the noon, donate and then go back to work."

From his fear of needles, he gradually turned platelet donation into a positive habit. The more he donated blood, the more moderate his life became, no alcohol, no staying up late.

Not only does he donate blood, Mr. Xuan is also an active member of the PUN group (short for Rapid Response), a volunteer group of more than 100 members, providing free transportation for poor patients.

Major Nguyen Thanh Xuan (officer of the Department of Environmental Crime Prevention and Control, Ministry of Public Security).

The group has been active since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The trips are not sponsored, and all expenses are covered by the members themselves. When hospitals need vehicles to transport patients in need, the group will post them, and whoever can arrange the time will accept. "Just yesterday, I transported a patient from Viet Duc Hospital to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, and it was past midnight when I got home," he shared.

From those silent actions, many comrades followed him to donate blood, donate platelets, and join the free car team, writing a beautiful image of a police officer in everyday life.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (Me Linh commune, Hanoi city) started donating blood decades ago. After donating whole blood, she was informed that she could donate platelets. Since then, Hong has donated platelets 70 times and in 2025 alone, she donated blood 18 times.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (Me Linh commune, Hanoi city) received a certificate of merit from the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion.

"Donating blood and platelets has become an important part of my life. Although life is full of difficulties, donating regularly is not only a voluntary act but also a source of motivation and meaning for me to continue living," Hong confided.

Not only did Hong donate platelets with her group of friends, she also organized other activities such as cooking for children in the hospital. With this recognition and honor, Hong shared that it was a great motivation for her and her friends to travel from Me Linh to the hospital every month to continue donating platelets.

Hoang Kim Duc (Thieu Hoa commune, Thanh Hoa province) has been donating blood for 13 years and donating platelets for about 9 years. "Once when I went to donate blood, the doctor said my platelet count was very high, suitable for platelet donation. When I heard that platelets could be donated every 3 weeks, I immediately agreed," Duc shared.

The most impressive thing in his journey of participating in this volunteer activity over the past ten years was the time he donated 3 units of platelets to immediately respond to an urgent shortage of platelets for treatment.

Once, only knowing that a mother needed blood to save her child who had been hospitalized for a long time, Duc contacted and went to the National Children's Hospital to donate his blood. "The family wanted to thank me, but I refused, so I had no contact to know if the child was healthy or not. But being able to help the child urgently, I was very happy," Duc confided.

Hoang Kim Duc (Thieu Hoa commune, Thanh Hoa province) has donated platelets 137 times.

With 137 platelet donations and 16 times in 2025 alone, Duc is an energetic young man, actively communicating and sharing blood donation experiences on social networks and directly with people, creating inspiration to convince many people to participate in blood donation.

Honoring noble examples

180 outstanding delegates with "huge" blood and platelet donation achievements, with a total of nearly 11,900 blood and platelet donations, each person donating an average of 66 times, gathered in Hanoi for the 2025 Meeting of Outstanding Platelet Donors.

In 2025 alone, 180 typical platelet donors contributed nearly 3,000 units of platelets, each donating an average of 16 times. Many people donated up to 70, 80, 90 times; especially, there were 15 individuals who donated platelets more than 100 times such as: Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu (143 times), Mr. Hoang Kim Duc (137 times), Huynh Hai Binh (121 times) and Huynh Thi My An (115 times), Ms. Trinh Thi Hong Thu (125 times), Mr. Pham Hong Hai (115 times)...

Donating platelets has become a habit, a way of life - living to give, a desire to contribute, to gather joy for life and to spread positive inspiration. Therefore, regardless of rain, sun, wind, storms, floods, platelet donors still travel tens of kilometers to donate; they mobilize more people to join; there are even foreigners who have donated platelets in Vietnam up to 88 times; many families, including husband, wife, children, siblings, have all become regular donors.

There are communities and platelet donation groups that have been established and operate very actively, such as groups in Hung Yen, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Thuong Tin-Phu Xuyen...

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ha Thanh, Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, sent his thanks to the exemplary platelet donors.

Moved by these silent and persistent examples, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ha Thanh, Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, shared: “The participants of the program have donated platelets at least 12 times a year, many have donated up to 17 or 18 times a year. These are “talking” numbers, making many people admire their perseverance, enthusiasm and kindness from their “sunny hearts” for the sick.”

In recent years, the National Blood Center under the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, the largest Blood Center in the country, has received about 500,000 units of blood each year, accounting for about 30% of the total blood received nationwide. Of which, about 35,000 units of platelets have been received - a blood product that is increasingly used and highly effective in treatment.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ha Thanh, the demand for platelet separation products in many hospitals in Hanoi and the northern provinces in the past time and is forecasted to increase in the coming time. Ensuring the above-mentioned platelet source is really a very difficult and challenging task.

Typical platelet donors perform a ceremony to report their achievements in front of President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum on the morning of November 1.

Since the beginning of 2025, the National Blood Center under the Institute has been trying and making efforts to strengthen mobilization, calling and reception to ensure meeting emergency and treatment needs.

In the first 10 months of 2025, the Institute received nearly 41,000 platelet units from 11,200 donors (the figure for the same period last year was nearly 30,000 units from 8,400 donors). The number of platelet donors and the average frequency of donation per person per year is increasing.

It is expected that in 2025, the Institute will receive about 50,000 platelet units - the highest result of the Institute to date.

Platelets are a special blood product used for the treatment and prevention of bleeding disorders. Usually, there are two types of platelet concentrates: platelets prepared from whole blood and platelets separated from a donor.

Unlike whole blood donation (which can be re-donated after nearly 3 months), platelet donation only requires a 3-week interval. Therefore, a person with good health can donate up to 17-18 times a year. Platelet donation requires stricter standards regarding weight, platelet count and a longer donation time.

THIEN LAMB

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hien-tieu-cau-chay-xe-khong-dong-va-nau-an-cho-benh-nhi-mac-benh-mau-post919839.html