Filipino patient receives hematopoietic stem cell donation from Fujian youth: "China is like a second home"

Source: China News Network

Fuzhou, January 20 (Zhang Tingting) "The Spring Festival is coming, China is now like my second hometown, and the Spring Festival for me is to celebrate the new life with my family." A Filipino blood patient said in a handwritten English thank you letter to Zheng Yutao.

On the 20th, Zheng Yutao, the "post-95" flight dispatcher of Xiamen Airlines, mentioned to reporters that when he wrote this handwritten letter from a "familiar stranger", he still cherished and was pleased with the strange fate of this great love and "marrow".

A few days ago, Zheng Yutao donated 371ml of hematopoietic stem cells in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, becoming the 327th case of hematopoietic stem cell donor in Fujian Province and the 111th case of hematopoietic stem cell donor in Xiamen City. It is worth mentioning that this is the first case of hematopoietic stem cell donation in Fujian Province in 2022, and the first case of donation from the China Bone Marrow Bank to save Filipino patients.

Zheng Yutao, a 23-year-old native of Zhangpu, Fujian Province, currently works as a flight dispatcher at Xiamen Airlines. The dispatcher is a special kind of work, responsible for collecting flight information and releasing flights, which can be called "captain who does not go to heaven". This Filipino patient, the elder Zheng Yutao is more than 20 years old, in Zheng Yutao's eyes, "the same age as his father."

Because of this, when Zheng Yutao received a question from the Tianjin Red Cross Society last July whether he was willing to donate hematopoietic stem cells to a successful blood patient, he happily admitted: "I am willing to donate."

All walks of life support and condolences to Zheng Yutao. Courtesy of the Red Cross Society of Fujian Province

At that time, Zheng Yutao did not know that the recipient was from a foreign country. "I am grateful for the opportunity you have given me; if I had been healthy, I would have made the same choice. If I can live, I will pass on the love. In the English thank-you note, the recipient said.

Zheng Yutao's parents expressed concern. "I told my father that if I were a member of the patient's family, I would definitely like someone to come forward and save my loved ones." Zheng Yutao's words touched his father. On the day of the donation, his parents specially came from Zhangpu to Xiamen to accompany him.

On January 11, after 4 hours, Zheng Yutao successfully donated 371ml of hematopoietic stem cell suspension. The medical specialist carrying hematopoietic stem cells took Xiamen Airlines flight MF8553 to Nanjing. Xiamen Airlines specially applied to coordinate the aircraft from the remote aircraft position to the covered bridge guarantee, which greatly shortened the boarding time of the medical specialist, won valuable time for hematopoietic stem cell matching, and saved every minute of this relay of life.

"Thank you and your family for giving me a chance to celebrate the Spring Festival." At the end of the donation, the recipient wrote down his gratitude to Xiao Zheng and China in the letter, and wished Xiao Zheng and his family a happy Spring Festival in advance.

On the day of the 20th, Zheng Yutao returned to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University for review, and his physical condition was all good. The staff of the China Bone Marrow Bank believes that this transnational donation has opened a new page in the China Bone Marrow Bank and written a new chapter in friendly exchanges between the Chinese and Filipino peoples. (End)