Since 1972, the Force has been a big supporter of blood donation. Up to early this year, it has collaborated with Hong Kong Red Cross to run over 2,000 blood donation programmes and collected 113,093 blood units.

 

In recognition of the Force's long-standing support, Hong Kong Red Cross awarded the Force a "Special Merit Award" at the Annual Donor Award Ceremony 2013 on June 9. Director of Personnel and Training Chau Kwok-leung received the award on behalf of the Force.

 

Besides the Force, Hong Kong Red Cross has also honoured retired Senior Police Constable Lee Kam-keung as the top blood donor with over 500 donations. 

 

 

Mr Lee joined the Force in 1974 and retired in August 2010. After retirement, he continues the Samaritan deed of donating blood.

 

Recalling his first blood donation at the age of 17 or 18, Mr Lee said he happened to pass by a mobile blood collection van and, out of curiosity, he and his friends immediately rolled up their sleeves. He made his second blood donation while receiving training in the former Police Training School and since then he did the same from time to time.

 

As the former South Kowloon Magistracy to which he was posted in 1992 was close to  Hong Kong Red Cross's Headquarters in King's Park Road, he went there for his 20th blood donation. A new equipment there caught his attention and Red Cross staff told him it was a blood cell separator.

 

With the help of a blood cell separator, a donor can choose to donate only plasma, platelets or both by a procedure call "Apheresis". 

 

Since then Mr Lee opted for Apheresis Donation. "This can help the patients more directly", he said, pointing out that Apheresis Donation can be made very two weeks without adverse impact on health. Driven by a great passion, he has been an Apheresis Donor for 20 years, having donated blood for as many as 528 times.  

 

His deed has prompted his children and relatives to join the rank of blood donors and he calls on Force members and their families to support blood donation.