(VOVworld) – Chu Nhat Hop has participated in volunteer activities since his first year at university. He has become a key member in volunteer movements, particularly blood donations in Hanoi. The 29-year-old man has given his own blood 22 times. Nguyen Hien reports:

Hop began donating his blood when he visited patients at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion 10 years ago. He was moved to see the patients waiting to receive blood before going home to welcome Tet. In 2008 Hop and other volunteers organized a Mid-autumn festival for child patients at a hospital. After a 6-year-old boy told him that his fondest hope was to go home, Hop became more committed to blood drives and other humanitarian activities. Hop has persuaded more than 150,000 people to give their blood: “Not just me but other young people are also willing to join volunteer activities. The Hanoi Blood Donation Advocacy Group is always there to provide them with necessary information and guidance in blood donation.”

Hop is currently president of the Hanoi Blood Donation Advocacy Group. He was the initiator of the 2012 blood donation festival, which involved more than 300 volunteers who donated 1,700 blood units. He and other group members have persuaded thousands of people to give their blood every year and trained more than 15,000 communicators. Hop has been collecting and distributing documents related to blood donation and carried out a scientific project on blood donation advocacy and safety in blood transfusion. Professor Do Trung Phan, former Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, said: “What Hop has been doing is for the community, not for his own benefit. He is always thinking of ways to encourage blood donations in the community. Hop has lots of friends, which is evidence of his ability to rally people.”

Hop said he is happy after each time he gives his blood: “I work at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion and my passion is to join volunteer activities, particularly blood donations. I’ve learned a spirit of enthusiasm and devotion from volunteer movements and from other young people.”

Hop’s Blood Donation Advocacy Group received the Prime Minister’s certificate of merit in 2014 and Hop himself has been honored by the Ministry of Health many times.