Giving life, one donation at a time

On Dec 9, 31-year-old Xi Feng completed his 100th blood donation at the Xiangyang Blood Center in Xiangyang, Hubei province.

Xi made his first whole blood donation on Jan 14, 2012, at one of the city's mobile blood donation vehicles, when he was 18.

"I wanted to do something meaningful to commemorate stepping into adulthood," he said. Six months later, he donated again.

The idea of donating blood had been in Xi's mind long before that. In 2011, one of his close friends was severely burned in an accident and admitted to the ICU. His friend urgently needed a blood transfusion and skin grafts. Visiting his friend during hospitalization planted a seed in Xi.

"If more of us signed up for blood donation, people like my friend would recover sooner," he said.

In March 2020, Xi learned online that the city's blood supply was dwindling, and many patients urgently required platelets. He also discovered that the donation cycle for platelets is two weeks, shorter than the six-month interval for whole blood donation.

"Since then, I've been donating blood components every two weeks," Xi said.

Typically, donating two units of whole blood takes five to 10 minutes, while donating blood components takes 40 to 90 minutes. Xi explained that a machine is used to extract the needed platelets and return the other blood components to the donor.

"Because it is less invasive than donating whole blood, it can be done more frequently," he said.

A dedication in action

Xi, a martial arts coach who frequently travels for competitions and performances, ensures that even when he is in another city, he visits a local blood donation facility for his bimonthly routine.

"In 2022, while I was in Tianjin for my students' performance, I made time to donate two units of blood components at the Tianjin Blood Center," he said.

Xi is not alone in his commitment.

"In Xiangyang, more than 70,000 people participate in voluntary blood donation every year, and nearly 100 of them have donated more than 100 times, most of whom are over 40 years old. Xi is a rare case in this regard," said Chai Shengjiang, director of the apheresis department at the Xiangyang Blood Center.

While donating blood, Xi often hears other volunteers discussing hematopoietic stem cells and organ donation. On April 13 and May 27 this year, he registered for both. "I'm very proud of myself," he said.

One of Xi's motivations for donating blood is another volunteer, Liu Xiaohong, who has donated over 200 times.

"I aim to reach my 200th and 300th donations as well," Xi said enthusiastically.

To achieve this, he exercises rigorously in addition to his job. He also pays close attention to his diet and lifestyle before his bimonthly blood donations.

According to Xi, maintaining a calm mindset is important. "Once, I got a little too excited and had trouble falling asleep the night before. As a result, my transaminase levels were slightly elevated, and I was told to donate another time," he said.

He observed that many people are concerned about the effects of blood donation on their health.

"National blood donation policies and requirements protect both recipients and donors," Xi explained. "If you are not healthy enough, you will not be eligible to donate. Requirements such as donation intervals ensure your safety."

Many of Xi's friends started donating blood after being inspired and encouraged by him. However, some were rejected because they did not meet the donation standards, such as platelet count.

"Even if you have the will, you may not be able to do it," he said. "I hope those who meet the requirements will step forward and donate."

In Xi's opinion, Xiangyang is a city with a strong chivalric ambience. It played a significant role during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) and is featured in some of the renowned wuxia (martial arts and chivalry) novels by Jin Yong (Louis Cha Leung-yung).

"My students greatly admire chivalry and hero stories. But I often tell them that heroes can be found among us; each one of us has the potential to become a hero," he said. "We can be the chivalrous heroes of 2024."