Support is growing for people from rare status groups. Yang Zekun reports.

Residents of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, donate blood at a local collection center. (LIANG WEIPEI / FOR CHINA DAILY)

One morning last month, 21-year-old Wang Jingwang traveled for two hours across Beijing to donate blood to a patient who was set to undergo stomach surgery.

Like Wang, the patient's blood group was Rh-negative. In China, the type is known as "panda blood" because it is found in just three in every 1,000 people and is therefore reputed to be as rare as the elusive animal.

Wang's journey was pointless, though, as a result of a miscalculation: he had made his last donation in January, and each contribution must be separated by six months.

"I was filled with remorse that my carelessness had complicated the issue, but fortunately some other volunteers were able to arrive later, so the treatment wasn't delayed," he said.

While the patient's family members expressed understanding and gratitude, Wang repeatedly apologized as he contacted other donors to give blood in his place.

Wang was informed of his Rh-negative status when he made his first donation in April last year. He was quite excited and told his mother the news. Before, he knew nothing about the rare blood group, but after he learned about it, he initially didn't worry about the scarcity of Rh-negative blood, even in the event he had an accident and required a lifesaving transfusion.

The donation in January was the second he had made.

"I donate blood because I want to help people in need. In some cases, my blood may save a life. I don't think it's a great thing to donate blood, which is what some people say, because anyone can help others. I just want to tell my children in the future that my rare blood helped a few people," he said.

Wang said he often sees "blood dealers" online and hanging around hospital blood banks. They usually offer good payments, but as Rh-negative blood is so rare the sums offered for it are far higher than average.

"I just donate blood without any compensation and have never thought about selling it for profit. That is illegal and also, I think, irresponsible. I have posted a message and my contact details on Douyin (a short-video app known as TikTok in the West), so the hospital can contact me if my blood type is needed," he said.

"In fact, it is also a form of insurance for myself. I am worried that if I needed blood in the future, and supplies were low, then I could use supplies from the blood station for free as long as I had donated more than 800 milliliters."

In China, people can transfuse blood for free if they have donated a certain amount.

Staff members at a center in Anhui province carry donated blood onto a cold-chain transporter. (GE YINIAN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Pregnancy problems

Liu Yuyang, 35, is 25 weeks pregnant. When the Beijing native was informed of her Rh-negative status during her first pregnancy test in January, she was surprised and anxious. She had been informed that having such a rare blood group could result in problems such as hemolysis (the rupture and destruction of oxygen-carrying red blood cells) in the newborn child. Moreover, it can be difficult to find if the mother experiences heavy blood loss during or after childbirth.

"This is my first pregnancy, at a relatively advanced age, but I knew nothing about my blood type. However, rather than giving me more information about my blood type, the doctor told me about possible problems. That made me concerned that bad things might happen to me," Liu said.

Like Wang, Liu is a member of the Yonghe Rare Blood Type Nonprofit Organization, a nonprofit in Beijing that was founded in 2013 by several people with Rh-negative blood types.

The group boasts more than 40 volunteers and has about 2,000 members with rare blood types－including pregnant women and a number of expats－who joined to learn more about the subject and sometimes donate blood.

Through the group, Liu has learned about Rh-negative blood and the problems that may afflict pregnant women. Moreover, the volunteers are often able to answer her questions about problems and concerns, which has eased her mind.

"With regard to possible bleeding during childbirth, pregnant women ask the hospital to make sure enough blood will be available in the event of an emergency, so the blood bank contacts many donors. However, if no emergency occurs, the precious blood will become unusable after about a month," she said.

"The group has many members with different rare blood types. In addition to communicating with other pregnant women and new mothers, it provides help when I'm at my wit's end. Of course, I will also be willing to help others after I give birth."

An employee takes a bag of Rh-negative from the bank at a blood station in Langfang, Hebei province. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Growing awareness

Liu had consulted experts at several obstetrics and gynecology departments in Beijing, but different doctors gave her different diagnoses, along with a range of suggestions regarding the types and timing of tests during her pregnancy.

"Like many patients, I have no medical education, so we search for the relevant knowledge and information online. I regard the doctors' words as authoritative, but their differing advice confused me," she said.

"I have always thought Beijing has the best medical resources, but not many doctors here have a really good understanding of rare blood."

Joining the group has eased her concerns. If her child inherits her rare blood type, her only worry for a boy would be heavy injuries, while a daughter may eventually face problems during pregnancy and childbirth.

"If I have a daughter, then maybe when she reaches the age of pregnancy, we will know more about such blood types and the treatment of symptoms related to pregnant women," Liu said.

Zhang Wenjing became a mother in April. She learned about her Rh-negative status in October 2018 and made her first blood donation in June last year.

The 28-year-old, who works in Beijing, knew nothing about the effect her blood group could have on her pregnancy, so she joined the rare blood group after being introduced by a friend.

Later, realizing that her blood type might cause problems, she had an obstetrics and gynecology test in Beijing. That's in direct contrast to one of her friends in her hometown in Hubei province, who also has "panda blood". The local hospitals are afraid to accept the woman, who is pregnant, because they are concerned that her blood type could spell trouble.

"In the early stages, my panic and fear were completely prompted by not understanding (about her blood type), so it's important that people learn more about the science related to blood. If women know they have Rh-negative blood, but don't know how it could affect their pregnancy, then they will be at a disadvantage if an emergency occurs," Zhang said.

In the event, she gave birth to a daughter without any problems, although her family had made full preparations for common problems such as blood loss and excessive bleeding. The baby follows her father in not having a rare blood type.

"I didn't feel anxious when I tested my daughter's blood, and even if she had a rare type, I would not have been afraid because I already have the relevant knowledge. Meanwhile, my family and I are actively donating blood, and I believe that the increase in mutual aid across society will make people with the same blood group feel more secure," Zhang said.

Contact the writer at yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn