Man donating stem cells to stranger calls himself the lucky one

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A delivery man, who managed to save a desperate stranger hundreds of miles away with his stem cells, called himself a lucky person to do so.

Ding Qiang from central China’s Hubei Province saved a stranger’s life on Thursday by having his hematopoietic stem cells extracted and delivered to the recipient in east China's Jiangsu Province.

He was informed by the local Red Cross in July that his blood sample was HLA-matched with someone who's battling leukemia. When asked whether he would like to donate his stem cells, Ding agreed without hesitation.

Photo via the Paper

It takes hundreds of thousands of fails to find an HLA-match – a human leukocyte antigen match – which assures compatibility between a donor and a recipient ahead of any transplantation. Despite the primary success, less than half of donors are able to pass a secondary test.

For Ding, it was no coincidence. Ding has been voluntarily donating blood for 13 years.

Ding did some research before taking the second test, hoping that he could contribute more to his distant recipient and comfort his worrying family. He was thrilled when he passed the secondary test. “It was a miracle to both of us,” said the kind man.

Ding noted that not everyone possesses the fortune to be able to save another’s life.

Ding's decision was supported wholeheartedly by his colleagues and his proud son. “My little boy is 14. He said I am an honorable man to do so,” Ding said with a smile.

Photo via the Paper‍

The double-blind principle prevents Ding from knowing the identity of the recipient of his stem cells. However, Ding sent his regards via the media: “He could be a young man at my boy’s age, a mom or the supporter of his or her family. Whoever my recipient is, I wish this person becomes well soon.”

If the recipient’s condition settles down, Ding would become the 13th successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Jingzhou, Hubei.