Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

FOLLOWING cheerful drumbeats, a group of special mothers shook their bodies to the music and rhythmically banged African drums with volunteer Bu Lingna from the Red Cross Society of China Shenzhen Branch yesterday, when the 75th World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day coincided with the 109th Mother’s Day.

The drumming and dancing were part of a series of activities held by the branch in Jingui Village, Pingshan District, specifically for the mothers and other family members of organ donors.

Zhang Yingji, executive vice president and secretary-general of the Red Cross Society of China Shenzhen Branch, led Party members in sending carnations to these “angel mothers” and wishing them a happy Mother’s Day.

The group also visited a museum themed on the Communist Party of China’s history and heritage and went hiking to enjoy the beauty of nature in Pingshan.

Ye Wei, a family member of organ donors, was one of the attendees. She expressed her gratitude for the Red Cross Society’s diverse activities and its genuine concern for organ donors’ families.

Ye’s father, mother and brother were all organ donors. Her mother passed away in March this year and her body was donated.

The Red Cross Society of China Shenzhen Branch also unveiled the logo for the “Angels Love Mothers” project Saturday, in a bid to increase public awareness of organ donation, convey organ donors’ great loving spirit, and give more attention and support to organ donors’ families.

The logo was designed by Pan Qingwei, leader of the branch’s water safety and life-saving volunteer service team. Pan was the first person in China to donate hematopoietic stem cells to unrelated recipients and has donated blood 128 times.

The “Angels Love Mothers” project was launched by the Red Cross Society of China Shenzhen Branch in May 2021. It aims to pay attention to the mental state of organ donors’ mothers, provide them with grief counseling, emotion-focused therapy, mental health support and a mutual aid platform so that they feel respected, cared for and supported.