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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
With Christmas and New Year are approaching, people are busy shopping and planning celebration activities, but many patients are still in hospitals and waiting for help (especially those in the A and O blood groups). By sparing a little time to give blood this Christmas and New Year, you can enable them to have the necessary treatment and bring them and their families the joy of the festival.
As a token of appreciation for blood donors' gift of life, the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) will present the "Q-Bloodboy Environmental Shopping Bag" (see photo attached) to those giving blood between tomorrow (December 15) and January 3, 2010. This cute little bag will make shopping more enjoyable! The gift is available while stocks last.
All blood donor centres have been decorated for Christmas so that the public can enjoy the festive colours with their loved ones. Santa Claus may be there to welcome blood donors too! For service hours of blood donor centres during the holiday period, please call the BTS hotline at 2710 1234 or visit the website at (www.ha.org.hk/rcbts).
Any person aged 16 to 65, weighing over 41kg and healthy is eligible to be a blood donor. Male and female donors aged 18 or above can give blood every three months and four months respectively. Youths aged between 16 and 17 can donate blood every six months.
Ends/Monday, December 14, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:50
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