HEALTH
Blood ties
MEET MACAO’S TOP BLOOD DONORS In honour of World Blood Donor Day this June, we spoke to three members of Macao’s blood donor community to learn why they keep choosing to donate, again and again. Text Vivianna Cheong and Tanja Wessels Photos António Sanmarful
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lood is an essential part of our existence, and one that perhaps too many of us take for granted. For many, however, blood isn’t something to be overlooked or forgotten; it’s the difference between life and death. That’s why access to safe blood and transfusions are vital to a robust and efficient health care system. Every 14 June is World Blood Donor Day (WBDD), an effort to raise global awareness of the life-saving importance of blood donation and encourage more donors to sign up. Every year, blood donations save millions of lives, and improve the health outcomes and quality of life of countless more. This year’s WBDD slogan is “Give blood and keep the world beating,” a message highlighting just how integral donors are to sustaining human life on our planet. To learn more about blood donation in Macao, we spoke to three of the city’s most dedicated donors about why they choose to donate, and how the experience has changed them.
Learn more about how to become a blood donor in Macao at ssm.gov.mo/cts/.
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