Recently, a man hailed by the public in China as the “King of Blood Donation” has appealed for help due to financial difficulties.
The man in question is Yang Xiuwei, 59, from Sichuan Province, China. He gained fame and praise for donating blood 313 times over the past 20 years.
At the end of January, while visiting a relative, Yang suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed. His wife, Xie Suhua, rushed him to a major hospital in the city. He was diagnosed with a cerebral infarction.
“The blood vessels in his cerebellum, vermis, and a main artery in his brain are narrowed, causing an acute stroke. He needs to be hospitalized for monitoring for 10 to 14 days,” the attending doctor said.
Ms. Xie revealed that Yang works as a street cleaner, while she does not have stable employment. Their monthly income is only about 3,000 yuan (approximately $424). Yang’s mother, who is over 90 years old, helps cover their rent with her pension.
Their son works in another city and cannot return home to celebrate the Lunar New Year with the family.
Upon admission, Ms. Xie paid a deposit of 2,000 yuan ($283), but after just one week of treatment, the medical costs had risen to 10,000 yuan ($1,415).
“This amount exceeds our financial capacity, so we plan to seek help from the community through a fundraising website,” she said. It remains unclear how much Yang’s total treatment costs will amount to.
Yang began donating blood in 2005, totaling 313 donations and helping at least 622 people. He currently holds the provincial record for the most blood donations, with his latest donation on January 18.
When asked about his motivation for donating blood, Yang explained it stemmed from his childhood dream of becoming a doctor. “I couldn’t become a doctor, but donating blood is another way to save lives,” he said.
Ms. Xie has always supported her husband, viewing blood donation as a noble act. “He feels happy doing it, and that makes me happy too,” she shared. After each donation, she prepares nutritious meals to help him recover.
Yang’s story has drawn significant attention on Chinese social media platforms, with many expressing sympathy and hoping the community will rally to support him during this difficult time.
“He has helped so many people. I hope society won’t abandon him now,” one netizen commented.
