A Swede in Beijing giving the greatest gift of all

Am I prouder of the 41st or the first? Hard to say. We'll get to that in a bit.

Of one thing I am sure — I was definitely out of my comfort zone at that moment. There I was squinting against the intense camera flash, a giant needle sticking out of my vein, sucking blood into the centrifuge, and trying to answer interview questions in my third language — Mandarin Chinese. As a teacher, how often have I not parroted the phrase "You need to step out of your comfort zone"? I hope some of my students will see that, at least occasionally, I do walk the talk.

In reality, it was a tremendous honor to be in that situation. Being interviewed by the Red Cross on June 3 for earning a gold medal for donating blood platelets 41 times in Beijing has given me a great sense of pride. Hopefully, my story can help inspire others to find their local blood bank and contribute to a stable public blood supply. With me that day, I had one of my students Han Xufeng, an English major at Beijing Union University. He completed his first donation right beside me. Honestly, I can't say if I was prouder of my 41st donation or being a part of his first foray into this world.

One blood donation could save three lives, and in China, a donor can donate every six months. Later on, I learned that you can also opt to only donate blood platelets. These are needed by many cancer patients; one unit gives the recipient at least another 24 hours to live, while doctors find ways to treat their diseases. Unfortunately, blood cannot be made artificially and is very perishable, so there is always more need than supply. In other words, when we need it, we have to rely on strangers to volunteer their blood. Meanwhile, securing an adequate blood supply requires tremendous social coordination.

Unfortunately, we seldom appreciate enough how difficult it is to achieve this coordinated social action. The difficulty often lies in the fact that it can be so tempting for individuals to act in their narrow self-interest instead of doing what is best for society. This was one of many valuable lessons that my professors at the University of International Business and Economics imparted to me. In Game Theory, this is known as the "free rider "problem. In the case of blood donations, many people don't realize that choosing not to donate means you are free-riding the system. We all expect blood to be available when we need it. However, an adequate blood supply can only be guaranteed if enough healthy people take the time out of their busy lives to visit the local blood bank and bear the slight pain of a needle puncturing the skin.

The Chinese government has created an ingenious incentive system to promote the socially responsible act of donating blood. Donors benefit from free access to blood if they need it in the future. This coverage also covers next of kin, so every donation is, in effect, an investment in your whole family's future health. It is often forgotten that every donor is screened for blood-related infectious diseases, which means a successful donation is also a badge of health. In addition, donors also get a travel reimbursement, a nice lunch, a redeemable gift voucher, and a chance to earn bronze, silver, or gold medals of recognition from the Beijing municipal government.

At the outset of the pandemic, I was lucky enough to get to know a group of dedicated donors. These people refuse to be free riders and go above and beyond the call of duty. Take Mr Jin Yongli as an example. He apologizes for being too busy these days, so he hasn't been able to add to his list of over 70 successful donations. Compared to him, my tally of 41 seems rather insignificant. But still, I feel an undeniable sense of achievement for meeting the blood donor gold medal criteria.

Dedicated long-term donors like Mr Jin ensure a reliable blood supply for you and me if needed. The government has done its part to ensure a safe and rewarding donation system that benefits your family. Now it is up to us to educate ourselves, draw inspiration from the spirit of dedicated donors, and take positive action instead of taking the free ride.

Thomas Karlsson, PhD, is a 45-year-old Swedish citizen and Chinese green card holder. He is passionate about China, charity, teaching, family, and lifelong learning. He is a teacher at Beijing Union University, which he sees as his second home.