Expatriates step up and donate platelets
A Shanghai-based expatriate blood donation organization was among local individuals, organizations and facilities honored for promoting and organizing platelet donation.
Ashish Maskay, a Nepalese surgeon and the founder of Bloodline, took the trophy as the promoter of platelet donation over the weekend.
Shot by Dong Jun. Edited by Dong Jun. Subtitles by Cai Wenjun.
"There are many foreigners living in Shanghai and they want to do something to connect with the city," he said. "So I and my friends initiated the idea of organizing the Bloodline to call for expatriates to give donations in 2017 when a French girl suffered an accident in Shanghai and needed blood for surgery.
"The girl was RH negative, which is very rare among Chinese but more common among Westerners. There are only three Chinese among every 1,000 with RH negative, while it is 15 percent for Westerners. So there was not enough blood for the girl and I called for my foreign friends to give donations. Then many people contacted me for donations.
"After this event, I organized Bloodline, a friend-circle organization to boost blood donation.
Maskay has been honored with Magnolia Award, the city's highest honor for expatriates for his performance in promoting blood donation.
Ashish Maskay (second from right), founder of Bloodline, receives the trophy of promoter of platelet donation on behalf of the organization.
"In the beginning, there was only five friends to do Bloodline," he said. "The first event we had 30 people coming to give donations and the organization grew bigger and bigger now."
Maskay has given 50 whole blood and platelet donations.
"Bloodline has become influential among foreigners," he said. "In addition to organizing regular events, we will issue notes if receiving urgent requests for blood. People will come to give donations within one or two days. Under emergency conditions, donors will arrive on the exact day. It is such a heart-warming thing."
Platelets play an important role in the treatment for patients with leukemia and cancer. Shanghai collected more than 101,900 units of platelet last year, the first time surpassing 100,000 units, rising by 9.4 percent than 2023.
Ashish Maskay with a foreign volunteer who donates blood under the organization of Bloodline.
More than 2,800 people have donated 50 units of platelet regularly at Shanghai Blood Center. Three people have donated more than 500 units and 137 with over 200 units.
Li Tengjun, a retired firefighter who has donated 460 units of platelet, was honored over the weekend as well. He said the donation is a continuance of saving life from fire to disease.
Shanghai needs 300 units of platelet each day to meet clinical demand and the shelf life of platelet is only five days, so the clinical demand remains.
Shanghai Blood Center calls for all eligible people to give donations.The donation information is available at its public WeChat account.
The internal between two platelet donation is at least 14 days, and volunteers should receive health checks before donation. Foreigners should take their passport for donation.
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