"Healthier Choices for Blood Donation"
Thorough Management Including Diet Control
An 'angel of blood donation' who has donated blood 700 times over 45 years, sharing precious lives, has appeared.
Mr. Lee Seung-gi (67), the "Blood Donation Angel," making a hand heart while donating blood for the 700th time. [Image source=Korean Red Cross]
On the 24th, the Korean Red Cross announced that Mr. Lee Seung-gi (67) attended a commemorative ceremony held on the 21st at the Blood Donation House Central Center to mark his 700th blood donation. Mr. Lee made his first blood donation in June 1979 at the age of 23 and has donated blood for 45 years. Since then, he has donated blood every year without fail, achieving 600 donations in July 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, on June 21st, he became the 8th person nationwide and the 4th in Seoul to reach 700 blood donations. The nurse who took his 700th blood sample even told him it was an 'honor.'
Mr. Lee said he initially started donating blood with the simple desire to help others. However, through patient associations, he met patients with leukemia and heart disease and gradually felt a sense of responsibility. He told Yonhap News, "Around 1987, I heard from an acquaintance that a woman in her 20s suffering from leukemia needed a transfusion, so I donated platelet components. After that, I forgot about it, but later I received news from the patient's father that his daughter was cured and discharged, which made me think I must not stop donating blood."
In addition, Mr. Lee donated 200 blood donation certificates and 7 million won in donations he had collected to the Korean Red Cross. He said he saved 10,000 won each time he donated blood to prepare the donation fund. Although he is an amateur photographer, he gave up overseas travel for fear of being unable to donate blood. He said, "Recently, members of the Guro photography club went on a 5-night, 7-day overseas photo trip to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, but I did not go because I had to donate blood," adding, "I do not feel any regret at all." Furthermore, he revealed, "I like alcohol, but I strictly manage my health by refraining from alcohol and caffeine intake and controlling my diet 3 to 4 days before donating blood." He continued, "Although you need to be healthy to donate blood, now I think I am healthy because I donate blood," and pledged, "I will continue to donate blood diligently until the blood donation retirement age."
The blood donation retirement age is 69. Mr. Lee now has 18 months left until he reaches the retirement age at 69. He smiled and hinted, "After the blood donation retirement age, I will travel abroad." Nevertheless, he expressed concern, saying, "Due to low birth rates, the number of blood donors is decreasing, and due to aging, the number of transfusion recipients is increasing," and expressed his aspiration, "If the blood donation retirement age is extended, I want to donate blood until I die."
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