US Embassy community gives gift of life at Tet blood drive
US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Caryn McClelland, and National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion Vice Director, Dr. Pham Tuan Duong, kicked off the US Embassy’s eight “Give a Tet Gift of Life” blood drive on January 10.
A key goal of the blood drive is to recognize the Vietnam National Blood Program’s accomplishment of increasing Vietnam’s blood supply, especially through voluntary donors and support successful efforts in educating the population on the importance of voluntary donation.
Since the National Blood Program launched 2001, Vietnam has shown great progress in increasing its percentage of blood supply from voluntary donors, and the US Embassy is proud to support National Blood Program during a holiday season that routinely faces a decrease in donors. The donated blood is used to save lives of trauma victims, surgical patients, and patients with life-threatening blood diseases.
“Blood drives like this also increase awareness regarding the importance of having a consistent supply of blood, and the critical role volunteer blood donors can play,” noted US Embassy Medical Officer Shawn Lockett.
The US Embassy’s blood drive has consistently seen growth in the number of donors since the first event in 2012 with a total of 269 donors at this year’s blood drive.
Addressing the event, Deputy Chief of Mission McClelland said, “Seeing Americans and Vietnamese – many of our staff, their families, and our regular visitors of the American Center – come together to donate blood and ‘Give a Tet Gift of Life’ is very inspiring."
The US official shared that the United States and Vietnam would celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations this year and he believed this event demonstrated the two countries' shared commitment to build lasting people-to-people ties at every level.
A key goal of the blood drive is to recognize the Vietnam National Blood Program’s accomplishment of increasing Vietnam’s blood supply, especially through voluntary donors and support successful efforts in educating the population on the importance of voluntary donation.
Since the National Blood Program launched 2001, Vietnam has shown great progress in increasing its percentage of blood supply from voluntary donors, and the US Embassy is proud to support National Blood Program during a holiday season that routinely faces a decrease in donors. The donated blood is used to save lives of trauma victims, surgical patients, and patients with life-threatening blood diseases.
“Blood drives like this also increase awareness regarding the importance of having a consistent supply of blood, and the critical role volunteer blood donors can play,” noted US Embassy Medical Officer Shawn Lockett.
The US Embassy’s blood drive has consistently seen growth in the number of donors since the first event in 2012 with a total of 269 donors at this year’s blood drive.
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