A SHENZHEN citizen identified by his surname Zheng has become the first volunteer in the China Marrow Donor Program to donate hematopoietic stem cells to a Brazilian patient.

Born in the 1980s, Zheng is a father of two and runs a plastic steel products factory in Shenzhen. He joined the program in 2022 during a blood donation, during which he learned that hematopoietic stem cells could offer new hope to patients with blood diseases.

When Zheng discovered that he was a match for a patient, he did not hesitate. “I knew the chances of a match were very low. As an ordinary citizen, I feel incredibly proud and fortunate to be able to help. I hope my actions can bring some warmth to people in need,” Zheng said.

After a four-hour procedure on the day of donation, the life-saving stem cells were transported to the receiving patient’s hospital.

As of Jan. 9, Guangdong Province has registered 161,000 donors for hematopoietic stem cells, with 2,205 cases of donations. Among these, 26 cases involved donations to patients outside of China, including the United States, South Korea, France, Australia, and Brazil.

According to a report by Shenzhen Evening News, the province’s annual donation volume has ranked first in the country for 10 consecutive years.

(Wang Jingli)