The critically ill patients he had saved with his own blood were innumerable; and the care of strangers he received when he was on his deathbed also numbered in the thousands.
Text/Photo by Zhang Xiaolei, reporter of Yangcheng Evening News
Correspondent Chen Fang
"Although I don't know how much longer I can live now, so many people came to care for me when I was seriously ill. I still feel that I am a lucky person, a happy patient. Really..." These words were spoken by Liang Jinqiang, who had just celebrated his 50th birthday in the ward of the Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine Hospital of Southern Medical University. His face was filled with smiles, but he kept wiping away tears.
He is an ordinary urban management assistant from Chigang Street in Haizhu District, Guangzhou. For more than ten years, he has been donating blood voluntarily, accumulating a total volume of 12,000 milliliters, equivalent to the total blood of three adults. He has been the recipient of the Special Award for Voluntary Blood Donation in Guangdong Province and Guangzhou City for many consecutive years.
Liang Jinqiang used his own blood to save one critically ill patient after another, but he himself suffered misfortune: being hospitalized due to pancreatic head cancer. Due to financial difficulties, he considered giving up treatment multiple times. At the most difficult time, many warm hands reached out to him - just as he had selflessly helped those in critical condition, more people like Liang Jinqiang pulled him back from the clutches of death again and again.
With an ancient appearance and heart, he donated twelve thousand milliliters of blood over ten years.
For more than a decade, Liang Jinqiang quietly persisted in doing one thing: donating blood every year, two or three times a year, each time donating 200 to 400 milliliters. Lying in bed after surgery, Liang Jinqiang said he had "passed the half-century mark" but still "hadn't accomplished anything significant."
More than a decade ago, Liang Jinqiang read a report about a girl suffering from leukemia who was on her last breath due to a lack of available blood. He went to the hospital to visit this girl and then went to the blood station - it was his first time donating blood. The girl eventually passed away due to the severity of her illness, but Liang Jinqiang's habit of donating blood continued.
The exact date of his first blood donation is no longer traceable, and many of Liang Jinqiang's records of blood donation counts have been lost. Over the years, how much blood he donated, Liang Jinqiang never really paid attention to. From existing records: from 1999 to 2008, there were a total of 9 books, roughly calculated, he donated blood 28 times, with a total volume reaching 9100 milliliters... Some records from the blood center show: from April 2000 to 2010, he had already donated blood 36 times. A staff member mentioned that Liang Jinqiang didn't always register with his ID card when donating blood, but his documented total blood donation volume was already close to 12,000 milliliters. This is the total blood volume of three adults. In Guangzhou, people who reach this amount are not uncommon.
Love Ambassador suffers severe illness, the public extends helping hands.
On November 26, 2010, Liang Jinqiang experienced severe abdominal distension, abdominal pain, vomiting symptoms, and had been unable to defecate for several days. The emergency doctor initially diagnosed acute intestinal obstruction and immediately sent Liang Jinqiang, who was pale and drenched in sweat from pain, to the inpatient department. Under timely rescue, the symptoms of intestinal obstruction were relieved. However, doctors discovered during subsequent examinations that there was an occupying lesion in his pancreatic head area, suspected to be pancreatic head cancer. On December 25 of last year, Liang Jinqiang underwent surgery, but the diseased area could not be removed completely and required radiation therapy and long-term chemotherapy.
Six years ago, as a low-income household, Liang Jinqiang entered the urban management department as an urban management assistant with a monthly salary of 1300 yuan. His wife supported the family by cleaning for others and doing odd jobs. Liang Jinqiang's family of four lived in a less than 60 square meter low-rent housing. When his daughter was in college, she almost dropped out due to lack of funds. Finally, with the help of the leaders of the Chigang Street Urban Management Office, she was able to continue her studies. To complete her education, she worked part-time every day besides studying to support herself.
Doctors revealed that during his hospital stay, Liang Jinqiang once planned to abandon surgery due to financial difficulties.
At his most difficult time, on December 22, 2010, under the initiative of hospital leadership, all medical staff donated to Liang Jinqiang, raising more than 11,000 yuan in total. They also waived part of his medical expenses. The Chigang Street where Liang Jinqiang was located also organized a fundraising event, raising more than 13,000 yuan. Last week, the Guangzhou Blood Center sent representatives to visit Liang Jinqiang at the hospital, delivering 2,000 yuan in consolation money and gifts.
A citizen, learning about this news through the internet, specially sent a text message to inquire after Liang Jinqiang and transferred 1,000 yuan to his account. "You're a good person, wishing you lifelong safety!" Donations from citizens under different aliases such as "Li Qing, Tan Xiaoli, Zhang Wei Dong, Zhai Xin Yue," flowed into Liang Jinqiang's account like a trickle.
A student sent a text message: "Mr. Liang, I am a sophomore student. After learning about your deeds, I was deeply moved! You're amazing, we pray for you, hoping that the disease stays far away from you! My classmates and I decided to donate blood together this afternoon! Get well soon, everyone misses you!"