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Air Force lieutenant commander donates blood for 200th time

Air Force lieutenant commander donates blood for 200th time

Posted August. 29, 2019 07:54,   

Updated August. 29, 2019 07:54

한국어

“I wanted to be of help in saving the precious lives of our neighbors,” Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Ahn Sang-ki told the Dong-A Ilbo Wednesday, while donating blood at the Blood Donation Center in Daejeon City. It was the 200th blood donation of the 106th graduate of Reserve Officer Training Corps. After the donation, Ahn donated 120 blood donation cards to the Korean Red Cross with his wife Oh Yoon-kyung.

His act of “life-sharing” traces back to 26 years ago. When he was a junior at Air Force Aviation Science High School in 1993, Ahn donated blood for the first time on a Blood Donation Bus. He felt it was rewarding to help those in need through this small gesture and he has been donating blood ever since. He refrains from smoking and drinking and keeps fit by working out every day, because he wants to donate healthy blood to save lives. He is always careful to check whether any medical treatment or prescription given to him impacts blood donation.

Recognized by the Korean Red Cross, Ahn awarded the Silver Award for 30-time blood donation and the Gold Award for 50-time blood donation in 1998 and 2000, respectively. He is also a regular financial supporter to the “House of Sharing” and the “Virgin Mary Flower Village,” which are social welfare institutions in Chungju City.

The lieutenant colonel has also applied for stem cell donation, according to the Air Force. Joining the military as a staff sergeant in 1995, he applied to serve as a military officer at the Air Force in 2001 and currently serves as an air weapon maintenance officer. “Blood donation is a small act that can make a big difference in saving others’ lives,” Ahn said. “I hope that more people will visit blood donation centers and take part in life saving.”


Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com