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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) held its 2016 Annual Donor Award Ceremony cum World Blood Donor Day Celebration today (June 5) to present awards to 1 179 blood donors who achieved 50 donations or more (multiples of 25) in 2015/16. The BTS held another ceremony last Sunday (May 29) to present awards to 1 962 blood donors who achieved 25 donations. A total of 3 141 blood donors were awarded in the two ceremonies.
The officiating guests at today's ceremony included the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man; the Hospital Authority (HA) Chairman, Professor John Leong; and the HA Chief Executive, Dr Leung Pak-yin. In his speech, Dr Ko pointed out that in the light of an ageing population and increasing demand for medical services, more young people should participate in blood donation as new donors to save more lives.
The Chairman of the Hong Kong Red Cross BTS Hospital Governing Committee, Mr Philip Tsai, expressed his appreciation to the awardees and urged citizens to support the theme of this year's World Blood Donor Day, "Blood connects us all", to donate blood for a stabilised blood supply in Hong Kong.
The Chief of Service of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Queen Mary Hospital, Dr Au Wing-kuk, and blood recipient Dr Gary Ng shared their experience in clinical treatment and transfusion at the ceremony.
To celebrate World Blood Donor Day on June 14, everyone who donates blood successfully from today to June 17 will be presented with a gift towel and a "GIVE" bandage pack. Blood donors who successfully give blood on World Blood Donor Day on June 14 at the West Kowloon Donor Centre or the Mongkok Donor Centre will be additionally awarded a handmade Bear Bear Towel produced by the Hong Kong Red Cross Humanity Workshop.
Ends/Sunday, June 5, 2016
Issued at HKT 13:56
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