The Pint that Travelled 200 Miles

What happens after a blood donation?

Somewhere in a quiet hospital ward, a blood bag glows under the sapphire light. To the regular eye, it looks insignificant, but a fascinating technology is working behind the scenes to protect the blood against bacteria and other harmful pathogens before its fresh chapter with a new heart.

Before being transfused, this biological currency started as a steady rhythm flowing through the vessels of a young student. A familiar embroidered lion rests on her shirt pocket, right above where this rhythm originates, while the student sits as the painless needle ushers her blood into its new plastic home. 

A barcode is stuck onto the plastic and the blood is put to sleep in a cooler, where a Hong Kong Red Cross van carries it for miles across the streets of Hong Kong. The bag is placed in a merry-go-round, centrifuged and split into parts, before being filtered to remove the immune system’s white blood cells so that this currency can be given to one in need. The blood is then scanned and cleansed by a special system: INTERCEPT. 

The INTERCEPT photochemical system was a pronounced development in medicine by the Cerus Corporation in California. It is now used in over 40 countries worldwide and is extremely successful in preventing infections, specifically bacterial sepsis. Closer to home, the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service has received a Five-Year Tender award by the Cerus Corporation in recognition of their outstanding clinical study which successfully transfused INTERCEPT-treated platelet components processed without leukoreduction, bacterial screening or gamma irradiation to stem cell transplant patients. 

Ultimately, INTERCEPT acts as a defence system that wipes out bacteria and viruses before they are ever strong enough to attack. This way, patients receiving transfusions can focus on recovery without having to worry about foreign blood triggering an autoimmune response. It also provides doctors with the confidence that transfusions are able to , significantly increasing the volume of blood transfusions approved every year in the country.

Blood donation is one of the purest acts of human generosity, but generosity is not enough. Safety must also be ensured. In every thriving community there is a universal belief that compassion extends beyond the boundaries of the self, which is more pertinent than ever in Hong Kong due to the detrimental events within the last couple of years. COVID-19, the Tai Po fire tragedy, Typhoon Ragasa, to name a few. During dire times like these, blood is not optional, but the arbiter between recovery and a life cut short.

We often say that actions speak more than words, and now is the time to respect this claim by giving back to our community. 

KGV Xueciety, our school’s student-led blood health advocacy initiative is partnering with the Hong Kong Red Cross to hold our first-ever Blood Bank Day held on the 20th of June! We cordially invite all eligible students, parents, alumni and members of KGV’s wider community to mobilise our collective power and help hospitals to provide life-saving healthcare to individuals in Hong Kong. 

The blood drive will be held on the 20th of June from 9am to 5pm in the KGV school hall. To donate you must be in good health, and be at least 16 years old a week before the 20th of June. In preparation before donating, please make sure to get a good night's rest, eat a light meal within 4 hours of donating consisting of iron-rich foods (like spinach or red meat), stay hydrated and bring your HKID or other valid documents for registration. Parental consent is required for donors aged 16-17 and you must weigh over 41kg. 

Last round signups close on the 12th of June, so please act quickly and secure your spot as a registered donor!