VietNamNet Bridge – More than 13,000 blood units, or almost 6,000 litres, have been collected across 15 provinces and cities during the successful Red Journey that concluded with its final blood donation festival in Ha Noi on Saturday.

More than 13,000 blood units, or almost 6,000 litres, have been collected across 15 provinces and cities during the successful Red Journey that concluded with its final blood donation festival in Ha Noi on Saturday.

The festival, called Grateful Red Drop, collected around 3,000 blood units from Ha Noi donors as part of the final push for the 22-day communication campaign.

Hua Thi Hai Van, a young girl who was born with severe Thalassemia - a potentially fatal genetic blood disorder that results in anaemia, stunted growth and in some cases major organ damage – also attended the event expressing her gratitude to the donors. Van has received up to 1,000 blood units during her treatment so far.

"One thousand blood units mean around one thousand donors have given me chances to live until this moment," said Van.

Van said that she might have been unhappy with her condition but in other ways she was very lucky because her blood came from a thousand kind people.

"The journey has mobilised more attention and involvement from leaders and the public towards the blood donation movement," said Nguyen Anh Tri from the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion.

"As one of the three biggest blood donation campaigns in 2013, the journey has helped promote the humanitarian blood donation movement and encouraged more people to ease the summer blood shortage by donating," added Tri.

During the journey, 100 volunteers travelled through 15 provinces and cities, collecting blood, advising over 200,000 people on how to raise awareness of blood donation and mobilising funds for Thalassemia patients in Viet Nam.

Source: VNS