"After just five days, this year's Spring Red Festival has already collected over 5,000 units of blood, a significant and valuable achievement," stated Associate Professor Doctor Nguyen Ha Thanh, Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, at the program's opening ceremony on 3/3 in Hanoi.

The program runs for 10 consecutive days, from 27/2 to 8/3, with a target of 10,000 units of blood. This annual event, held each spring, is the largest blood donation drive. Each shared drop of blood provides a vital lifeline, offering hope to patients during the new spring season.

Amidst the queues of donors in the early spring, Thanh Tung, a Military Medical Academy student, and his girlfriend Thu Huyen discussed their goal to donate more blood this year. They have now donated together for the 5th time. What began as an unfamiliar experience has made them "familiar faces" at the festival.

Students donate blood at the Spring Red Festival. *Photo: Gia Thang*

The event attracts not only Hanoi residents and students but also individuals who travel long distances. For instance, Mr. Dung drives 40 km to the institute each time he receives notification of eligibility to donate again, a journey he has made for many years.

For Ms. Thai from Phu Tho, this trip is particularly meaningful. After a past accident required 5 units of blood to overcome a critical condition, she deeply understands the value of each blood bag in an operating room. Once her health stabilized and she became eligible, she and her husband decided to make a "tourist" trip to Hanoi, with the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion as their destination.

"Without those blood bags, I might not be here today," Ms. Thai stated. "I don't know my benefactors, so I hope to continue donating my blood, giving others the same chance at life I received."

Associate Professor Thanh noted that instead of material gifts, people choose to donate "pink drops" (blood) as a meaningful *li xi* (lucky money) gesture, bringing good fortune and peace to both donor and recipient. Each unit of blood collected at the festival is considered a "gift of life."

In previous years, severe blood shortages frequently occurred in hospitals after the Lunar New Year holiday. Recognizing this, the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, along with the Hanoi Youth Association for Blood Donation, launched the Spring Red Festival – a large-scale blood drive held immediately after Tet.

Currently, each Spring Red Festival spans several days and locations, collecting between 8,000 and 10,000 units of blood. Over 18 years, the program has gathered nearly 120,000 units of blood in Hanoi alone.

Le Nga