A silent act of kindness

In An Long commune (Dong Thap province), the name Van Thai Trong (born in 1992) has become familiar to many people. Not only is he the Deputy Head of Hamlet 2, the Hamlet Team Leader of Hamlet 2, and the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Branch of Hamlet 2, he is also known as a shining example of voluntary blood donation. From 2016 to the present, Mr. Trong has donated blood 19 times to save lives, earning the admiration of his comrades, colleagues, and local people.

Báo Sài Gòn Giải phóng•14/09/2025

Mr. Van Thai Trong during a blood donation event in his local area. Photo: TRONG TRUNG

Spreading the spirit of sharing

Recalling his first time donating blood, Mr. Trong smiled gently: “When I was encouraged to donate blood, I was quite scared. Seeing the needle go into my body made me tremble, constantly worrying about whether my health would be affected. But then, when I saw poor patients undergoing treatment who lacked blood transfusions, I realized that a few drops of my blood could save a life. From then on, I told myself I had to continue participating.”

Having donated blood 19 times, the initial anxiety has gradually turned into joy and a sense of responsibility. For Mr. Trong, each blood donation is another opportunity to contribute. After donating blood, he only rests for about 10 minutes before returning to his daily work, his health stable and unaffected. "Now, donating blood is very natural for me. I'm healthy and young, so why not give my blood to help patients overcome critical situations?" Mr. Trong confided.

Not content with donating blood himself, Mr. Trong actively encouraged his relatives, friends, and neighbors to participate. To date, he has persuaded and encouraged at least 25 people to voluntarily donate blood. He recounted that many were initially hesitant, but when they saw him personally donate blood multiple times while remaining healthy and enthusiastic about his work, they gradually gained trust and readily agreed to participate.

For example, Ms. Dinh Thi Nhan has donated blood 15 times and was recently commended by the Provincial Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation; Mr. Truong Van Nuoc and Mr. Pham Van Nho have each donated blood 4 times; Mr. Pham Van Tuan has donated 3 times… All of them are following the example of Mr. Trong's sincere and persistent efforts. Ms. Dinh Thi Nhan shared: “Seeing Mr. Trong donate blood so many times and still be healthy, I decided to follow his example. Now, blood donation has become a habit, a meaningful act for me.”

The noble gesture has been recognized.

At 33 years old and unmarried, Mr. Trong is always busy with social work. Besides his community activities, he also participates in sports to maintain his health and prepare for future blood donations. He believes that blood donation not only benefits patients but also improves his own health. “Regular blood donation has many benefits, such as regular health check-ups, reduced risk of iron overload, improved blood regeneration, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. For me, each blood donation is a health check-up and brings me joy when I think about the lives of patients who will be saved thanks to my blood,” Mr. Trong shared.

With 19 blood donations, Mr. Van Thai Trong has been honored and rewarded many times, most notably twice by the Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation in Dong Thap province. However, he remains humble: “I never thought of doing it to receive praise. It all stems from a sense of responsibility, from a desire to contribute a small part to community health and social welfare.” The blood donation movement in An Long commune is gradually becoming a beautiful humanitarian tradition, spreading widely among officials, civil servants, union members, youth, and the people. Examples like Mr. Van Thai Trong have contributed to inspiring others, so that “every drop of blood given saves a life” is not just a slogan, but a concrete action, saving countless patients in need of blood.

In the peaceful land of An Long, the story of the 33-year-old man who has donated blood 19 times has become a source of inspiration for living a beautiful and responsible life. Through this noble act, Mr. Van Thai Trong not only contributed to saving lives but also sowed seeds of love and spread the spirit of sharing in the community.

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