Brian Jeffrey
In a rush, Vinh quickly handed over her store duties and rode 30 kilometers to the hospital.
At 51 years old, Vinh resides in the Thuong Tin district of Hanoi and has blood with a compatible phenotype. She regularly travels to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion to donate blood, platelets, or to partake in local donation campaigns.
One day while working, she got a call from the Hematology Institute requesting her blood for a patient in need. Without hesitation, she asked a friend to manage her store and rushed over to the institute.
“The distance was significant, so I hurried off. I returned home late that night, but I felt incredibly happy knowing I could help someone,” Vinh reminisced about her first donation experience.
On another occasion, despite heavy rain, she was again contacted for blood donation, with a request to come in two days. Understanding the urgency and the patient’s possible anxiety, she chose to leave right away, worried that the delay could be detrimental.
“I was soaked when I arrived at the institute, yet my heart felt full of joy,” she shared.
Vinh has made over 30 blood donations in total. This year alone, she has donated her compatible phenotype blood three times at the Hematology Institute’s request.
Doctor Tran Ngoc Que, Director of the National Blood Center, explained that with each blood transfusion, patients are at greater risk of developing abnormal antibodies due to exposure to unfamiliar antigens. Therefore, merely having compatible ABO and Rh blood groups isn’t sufficient; phenotype compatibility is also needed for patient safety.
The Thalassemia Center at the Hematology Institute currently looks after about 3,000 patients, with nearly 30 percent receiving phenotype-compatible transfusions, significantly reducing complications from blood type mismatches.
Vinh was one of the 20 people recognized for having a rare and compatible phenotype blood type at an event held by the Hematology Institute on November 23, 2024.
The institute has noted the reception of around 240 rare blood type units and 2,458 units of compatible phenotype blood from various treatment locations.
