Approaching the age of 60, Nguyen Hoa from HCMC reports that his health is still in excellent condition. He has remarkably reached a total of 131 blood donations after more than 32 years of quietly dedicating himself to this noble endeavor. For Mr. Nguyen Hoa, the physical toll is entirely negligible.
“Every time I finish donating blood, I feel perfectly healthy and normal; therefore, I just keep continuing this meaningful work with the desire to contribute a little bit of my strength to society,” he explained, reflecting on his long journey.
Mr. Nguyen Hoa vividly remembers a story from over 20 years ago when, in the dead of night while working his shift as a building security guard, he received a phone call notifying him of a pregnant woman in critical condition who desperately needed a blood transfusion. Without hesitation, he rushed his motorbike to Tu Du Hospital to donate 450ml of blood.
It wasn’t just that one time; over the past 30-plus years, there have been countless instances where he immediately dashed to a donation site to save a life. Every single drop of blood he has given has provided individuals he never met a precious chance to survive.
Recalling the fateful connection leading him to this meaningful work, he stated that back in 1994, he read an article announcing the HCMC Red Cross Society was inaugurating a blood donation center. Figuring that he was not wealthy enough to help others with material possessions, he decided to donate. “I don’t have an abundance of wealth, so I’m happy to contribute the small effort of a citizen living in the city named after Uncle Ho,” he shared.
Inside his small rented room, numerous certificates of merit chronicling his donation journey are neatly stacked. Furthermore, a card explicitly registers his voluntary body and cornea donation after his passing. Regulations stipulate individuals reaching 60 are no longer permitted to participate. Flashing a gentle smile, he remarked, “I only have two more donations left before my journey comes to a close. I just hope to stay healthy so these final donations can go smoothly.”
Unlike Mr. Nguyen Hoa and the millions of volunteer blood donors across HCMC, individuals carrying rare blood types, such as 26-year-old Thu Ha, a native of Tay Ninh Province living in HCMC, are constantly on high alert. Whenever an emergency call comes through, she immediately heads to a donation site to save someone in desperate need.
She began participating in blood donation as soon as she turned eighteen, and during one fortuitous occasion, discovered she carried the exceedingly rare blood type A Rh negative. Without hesitating, she quickly joined the rare blood group in HCMC, ready to donate her scarce blood whenever required.
Discovering her rare blood type was initially daunting. “I used to be anxious about having a rare blood type; but at the end of the day, I’m deeply grateful for this biological difference because it’s given me a community full of love and sharing, while helping me become more socially conscious,” she confided.
While she gives away rare drops of blood, she has also been on the receiving end of the profound kindness of her community. Having once survived a near death experience, she’s indebted to the people who gave blood to save her life.
Emotionally recounting the harrowing period nearly a year ago when she slipped into a coma, suffered cardiac arrest, and experienced massive abdominal hemorrhaging, she revealed she literally came back from the brink of death thanks to donated blood.
“When I needed an urgent blood transfusion, the doctor informed me that the hospital currently lacked my blood type,” she recalled. “My family sent a message to the rare blood community, and it received an immediate response; very quickly, many people rushed straight to the hospital to donate blood, ultimately helping me hold onto my life.”
Following that traumatic event, she gained a profound understanding of the immense value encapsulated in every single drop of blood, and she perpetually maintains a state of readiness to donate whenever someone is in need. Over the years, the voluntary blood donation movement has evolved into a highly impactful annual activity spreading nationwide.
The voluntary blood donation movement has reportedly evolved into a highly impactful annual activity, spreading deeply and widely throughout HCMC and the entire country. Specifically, in HCMC, after 32 years of launching the voluntary blood donation campaign (1994-2026), the city has remarkably recorded over 3 million instances of blood donation to date.
There’re tens of thousands of exemplary individuals who’ve volunteered to donate blood over 30, 50, or even 100 times, alongside hundreds of families where nearly all members collectively donate and actively advocate for others to do the same.
According to the HCMC Humanitarian Blood Donation Center, the city reportedly receives from 338,000 to over 400,000 blood units annually, fully meeting 100 percent of the city’s blood demands while simultaneously providing crucial support to the southwestern provinces. Currently, HCMC boasts more than 350 individuals actively participating in the rare blood club, consistently prepared to donate blood and save lives whenever it’s necessary.
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