‘Panda blood’ aims to help people in emergencies

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Panda Club, a voluntary association made up of people with “panda blood”, has been established in south China’s Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province last weekend, in an aim to help each other in case of emergency.

"Panda blood" refers to Rh-negative blood type in China. As rare as pandas, only around 3 out of 1,000 Chinese people carry it.

People with Rh-negative blood wear panda hats promote voluntary blood donation in east China's Hangzhou City, December 2012. / Photo from Zhejiang Online

Local registered “panda blood” community has a population of around 2,600. Once the association is established, members will share information and help each other in case of an emergency, if needed.

Association director Chen Tianyin said they would make sure not only members but all the people with rare blood type in the society, get the adequate rescue in time of emergencies.

Xinhua Photo

30-year-old Yang Linhua became aware of her “preciousness” only five years ago, and has since helped eight people either suffering leukemia or stomach bleeding, “I donated my blood not for money but to rescue others. It was very hard to find people matched to our blood type. I hope the public would know more about us,” said Yang.

Once female members get pregnant, one or two members with matched blood type will be assigned to track along the process till the baby is born, as babies have a higher risk to suffer transfusion reaction.