Man's 'fortune' is 131 blood donation certificates, a testament to saving lives

In a small rented room in Ho Chi Minh City, 60-year-old Nguyen Hoa treasures a unique fortune: 131 certificates of voluntary blood donation. These documents, meticulously kept for over three decades, represent his commitment to saving lives.

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This is my fortune.

Hoa's journey began in 1994 after seeing a newspaper appeal for blood donors. Despite his small stature at the time, he donated 250 ml of blood, driven by a simple desire to help those in critical need. He has since donated whole blood 131 times, earning recognition as a model donor in the city.

One particularly memorable instance occurred over 20 years ago when Hoa, working as a security guard, received an urgent call late at night. A woman who had just undergone a C-section at Tu Du Hospital was experiencing severe postpartum hemorrhage and urgently needed Type B blood, which Hoa happened to have. He immediately arranged for a colleague to cover his shift and rushed to the hospital, donating blood in the early hours of the morning before returning to his post.

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At that time, I wasn't afraid of anything. I just thought simply that if my blood could help someone through a critical time, then it should be given.

Hoa finds profound joy in the act of giving, regardless of whether he knows the recipients. He shares, "I don't give to receive. The recipient doesn't know me, and I don't know them. I'm just happy if my blood can help someone." He recalls another instance where he donated blood to a poor patient at the Ho Chi Minh City Heart Institute who needed surgery but lacked donors due to family financial hardship and health issues.

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I don't give to receive. The recipient doesn't know me, and I don't know them. I'm just happy if my blood can help someone.