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| Young people donating blood |
A beauty of life
At the 18th “Red Sunday” Voluntary Blood Donation Festival in 2026, jointly organized by the City Youth Union, Vietnam Youth Federation of Hue, Hue Central Hospital, Hue University, the Central Region Blood Transfusion and Hematology Center, and Vietnam Buddhist Sangha of Hue, hundreds of volunteers arrived early to register for blood donation. Nguyen Thi Minh Anh, a first-year student donating blood for the first time, shared: “At first I was a little worried, but when I thought about helping someone, I felt what I was doing was very meaningful”.
More than just a volunteer activity, the festival is also a place where stories of compassion are carried forward. Many young people view blood donation as a practical way to contribute to the community.
Over the two-day event, the Organization Board collected 721 units of blood, higher than in 2025. This blood supply has helped promptly support emergency care and treatment at Hue Central Hospital, especially in the period after the Lunar New Year, when blood demand is consistently high.
In recent years, the voluntary blood donation movement in Hue has been maintained regularly through programs such as the Spring Blood Donation Festival, National Blood Donation Day on April 7th, and the Red Journey. Through these activities, blood donation has gradually become a valued feature of social life.
Core drivers of the movement
One of the core forces in the movement is the Living Blood Bank Club at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University. In addition to donating blood, its members actively engage in advocacy, mobilization, and organizing various extracurricular activities.
The city currently has 27 voluntary blood donation club models, including: four reserve blood donation clubs (living blood banks) with 200 members; one rare Rh blood group club with 74 members; five family blood donation clubs with 60 participating families; and 17 blood donation advocacy clubs with more than 400 members. These models have operated effectively, helping raise awareness and attract a large number of young participants, thereby further advancing the movement.
Through the movement, many exemplary individuals have been recognized. Recently, Hue City Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation Mobilization selected two outstanding individuals to participate in the national program honoring exemplary blood donors in Hanoi from June 3rd - 5th, 2026. They are Le Van Hoa Duong, a teacher at Phu An Lower Secondary School in former Phu Vang District, and Nguyen Bao Thanh, an actor at the Hue Royal Traditional Arts Theatre. Both have donated blood and platelets more than 60 times.
Promoting the role of mass organizations
In 2025, the city successfully organized 155 blood donation drives, an increase of 24 compared to 2024, collecting 30.116 units of blood, reaching 97% of the annual target. However, voluntary blood donation work still faces several limitations, including: mobilization efforts in some localities not yet being sufficiently in-depth; the proportion of 350ml blood donations remaining low; and public participation not yet truly widespread, still concentrated mainly among certain groups such as commune-level officials, civil servants, teachers, and students.
According to Mrs. Le Thi Hien, Chairwoman of Hue City Red Cross Society, it is necessary to continue strengthening communication efforts and expanding participation, particularly in businesses and industrial zones. At the same time, the role of mass organizations in mobilizing blood donation should be further promoted.
Maintaining and expanding blood donation club models, living blood banks, and voluntary platelet donation programs is also an important solution to ensure a safe and timely blood supply for emergency care and treatment.
Each drop of blood donated not only saves lives but also helps spread compassion, connecting the community through simple yet profoundly meaningful acts.