Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service welcomes Youth Ambassadors to participate in Learn About Blood Tour (with photos)
Engaging young blood has always been a priority to the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS). In its efforts to promote blood donation awareness, the BTS proactively collaborates with different partners across the community. The BTS welcomed the YDC Youth Ambassadors (YAs) of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau today (May 6) to the BTS' "Learn About Blood Tour", where the YAs were guided to visit different laboratories in the blood bank of the BTS Headquarters and learn about the blood processing procedures. The YAs also gave blood after the tour in response to the recent blood donation appeal as blood inventory is currently at a critically low level.
The BTS launched the "Learn About Blood Tour" in the 2022-23 academic year and it has been very well received by the academic sector. Not only does the tour provide students with an opportunity to explore the BTS' blood laboratories to learn about blood products processing procedures and the importance of blood safety, but also cultivate students' values to achieve all-rounded development. The BTS encourages academic sector to arrange the tour as an extracurricular activity for their students. Furthermore, to encourage more youngsters to become regular blood donors, for those who have achieved three times blood donation under the age of 26 can receive the "Young Donor Medal" at any campus-based blood donation activity.
The BTS proactively recruits new blood amid the gradual resumption of normalcy in the society. In addition to fully resume mobile blood donation activities with secondary schools, the BTS also partnered with 10 universities and launched the "University Blood Donation Marathon", which conducts blood donation and education activities on university campuses. During the 2022-23 academic year, the BTS visited over 180 secondary schools and collected over 5 500 units of blood and recruited around 4 000 first-time donors. As for universities, 90 blood donation activities were held with more than 3 300 units of blood collected and nearly 2 000 first-time donors recruited.
The Chief Executive and Medical Director of the BTS, Dr Lee Cheuk-kwong, thanked the support from the academic sector, which has allowed the number of blood collection in the sector gradually bounce back to the pre-epidemic level. "Giving blood is a life-saving marathon that needs more people to relay and carry on. The BTS is endeavouring to plant the seeds of giving in the youngsters' mind and to spread the message of 'Give blood saves lives' across the community," Dr Lee said.
The BTS reminds donors to make appointment before giving blood so as to prevent crowds gathering and long waiting times. Please call the BTS' donor centres, book online or via the "HK Blood" mobile apps. For details, please visit www.ha.org.hk/rcbts.
